HLS home > library > tutorials > lexisnexis_westlaw
Library

Skill 1: Sign on to LexisNexis & Westlaw

Prev | Next

Let's begin by signing on to the LexisNexis & Westlaw home pages and from there explore each service's research system including interface options and other settings available for controlling your online experience. The LexisNexis and Westlaw home pages offer a number of useful tools, materials and services including quick tools for common research tasks, reference literature, tutorials, videos, study aids, outlines, software, training schedules with online sign ups and help. The LexisNexis Law Student Support Center and the Westlaw Help Center provide detailed help with using the services.

Task 1(a)(1): Sign on to the LexisNexis home page

  1. Go to the LexisNexis home page.

  2. Sign on by entering the Custom ID and Password you created when you registered your account. If you have not already registered, click the Register your Activation Code link. If you are using your own computer and would like to store your sign on information, click the Remember My Sign On Information checkbox. Next, hit enter or click the sign on button. Congratulations! You are now signed on to LexisNexis.

  3. Notice the vertical row of boxes at the left of the screen labeled Learn to Research, Prepare for Class, Download Tools, Get Help, and Contact your Representative. Hover your mouse over the Learn to Research link and notice the resulting menu: Training at your school, Self-Paced Tutorials, Videos, Daily Research Tip, and Tip Sheets. Select Training at your school and scroll down until you see the LexisNexis Training Schedule link. LexisNexis offers introductory, refresher and advanced training sessions throughout the academic year. Feel free to sign up for a class. All classes are held in the Langdell Computer Classroom (L233) located on two north.

  4. What other help is available? Return to the LexisNexis home page. Again, hover your mouse over the Learn to Research link but this time select Tips Sheets, a very useful collection of guides to using LexisNexis. Many of the guides are available in print in the Langdell Computer Classroom (L233). Return to the LexisNexis home page and explore what is offered by Prepare for Class, Download Tools, Get Help, and Contact your Representative. Make special note of the Get Help menu. Launch the very helpful LexisNexis Law Student Support center with its very popular Live Research Help by clicking the Customer Support link.

Task 1(a)(2): The LexisNexis Total Research System

  1. Let's take a look at the LexisNexis Total Research System. But first note the very useful Quick Research tools presented on the LexisNexis home page at the right of the screen. Quick Research tools allow you to search a legal dictionary, get a case or other document by citation, Shepardize a case or other authority, and get a case by party name from the LexisNexis home page.

  2. Click the large red Research Now button in the upper left of the screen to enter the LexisNexis Total Research System. Notice the LexisNexis screen is now split into three parts or frames: top, middle and bottom with the bottom frame not yet visible. The top frame contains a permanent toolbar, labeled LexisNexis Total Research System, with links to various services, tools and commands. (See Illustration 1 below.) The middle frame is where LexisNexis presents search templates, search results, documents and other information. The bottom frame contains navigational tools and is only visible when search results or documents are presented.

Illustration 1: The LexisNexis Total Research System Toolbar

Illustration 1: The LexisNexis Total Research System Toolbar

  1. Notice the row of six tabs: Search, Research Tasks, Get a Document, Shepard's, Alerts, and Total Litigator. Research Tasks are pre-packaged collections of databases and services useful for research in a particular topic or jurisdiction. Alerts allows you save a search and then run it on an automated schedule. In the next few tasks, we will take an in-depth look at: Search, Get a Document, and Shepard's.

  2. Notice the set of tools at the upper right of the toolbar: Switch Client, Preferences, Live Support, Help, History, and Sign Off. Let's change a few of your default settings. Click the Preferences link. Under the General tab, set to 50 the number of documents to retrieve at a time and be sure all of the check boxes are checked under Allow me to edit my search, Results View, Pagination Display, Case Law Display, LexisNexis Practitioner's Toolbox and Enhanced Table of Contents Display. Set Select Default Display to Advanced Search Form. Under the Shepard's tab, make sure all the check boxes are checked. Click Set to save your Preferences. As you use LexisNexis, you may wish to return to Preferences for further customizations.

  3. LexisNexis provides help at any point in your research session. Suppose you were to return to Preferences and needed help with the various settings. Click the Live Support link to initiate a chat session between you and LexisNexis customer support. Click the Help link for context-sensitive help. Click the Tips icon (LexisNexis Tips icon) located in the upper-right corner of the Preferences box for detailed tips and help. Or call LexisNexis customer support at: 1-800-455-3947.

Task 1(b)(1): Sign on to the Westlaw home page

  1. Go to the Westlaw home page.

  2. Sign on by entering the Username and Password you created when you registered your account. Or enter your Westlaw Password. If you have not already registered, click the Register Your Password Here Click button or the Register password now! link. If you are using your own computer and would like to store your sign on information, click the Remember me checkbox. Next, hit enter or click the Sign on button. Please note: unlike a LexisNexis session, Westlaw will time-out. When this happens, you will be presented with the sign on screen. Simply sign back on. You should be returned to where you left off. Congratulations! You are now signed on to Westlaw.

  3. Notice the four blue buttons in the upper left of the screen: Survival Guide, Westlaw Training, Job Postings, and Advanced Westlaw Features. Click the Westlaw Training button. Notice the three columns: At My School, Certification & Seminar, and Basic Westlaw Tutorials. In the At My School column, click the In-person Westlaw training courses… link. Notice the Training List. Westlaw offers introductory, refresher, and advanced classes throughout the academic year. Feel free to sign up for a class. All classes are held in the Langdell Computer Classroom (L233) located on two north.

  4. What other help is available? Return to Westlaw Training and explore what else is offered in the three columns. In the Basic Westlaw Tutorials column, in the More Resources… pull-down menu, select Free Westlaw user guides for an extremely useful collection of guides available for download in pdf format. Many are available in print in the Langdell Computer Classroom (L233).

  5. Launch the very useful Westlaw Help Center by clicking the Help link located in the far left of the screen under the blue Support button. The Westlaw Help Center offers Help on a number of topics and includes an FAQ, PDF Documentation and Interactive Training (registration required).

Task 1(b)(2): The Westlaw Research system

  1. Let's take a look at the Westlaw Research system. But first click the Home button in the upper left corner of the screen. Notice the Research Shortcuts. These allow you to Retrieve a Document and Run a Search from the Westlaw home page. Notice the Search the Web tool powered by Westlaw WebPlus, Westlaw's law focused search engine now in beta.

  2. Click the blue Go to Westlaw button near the upper left of the screen to enter the Westlaw Research system. The Westlaw screen is split into three frames: top, left, and right. The top frame contains a permanent toolbar with links to various services, tools and commands. (See Illustration 2 below.) The left frame provides context-sensitive information about the materials being presented in the right frame. The right frame is where Westlaw presents search templates, search results, documents and other information. (Westlaw provides a full-screen command to make cite lists and documents contained in the left and right frames easier to read.)

Illustration 2: The Westlaw Research System Toolbar

Illustration 2: The Westlaw Research System Toolbar

  1. Notice the tabs at the left of the top frame: Law School, Westlaw, Business & News and Massachusetts. Westlaw Tabs provide pre-packaged, customizable collections of databases and services useful for research in a particular topic or jurisdiction. Law School is the default tab. Click the Add/Remove Tabs link to the right of your tabs. Notice the wide variety of available tabs. You may select up to six tabs. Make your selections and click Next. Select a default tab and then click Save.

  2. In the Law School tab, notice the tools for beginning a research session presented in the left frame: Find by citation, KeyCite this citation, and Search these databases. We will take a quick look at each of these tools. Notice the five tools in the upper-right of the top frame: Preferences, Alert Center, Research Trail, Help and Sign Off. Notice the six tools and services located at the very top of the screen: Find & Print, KeyCite, Directory, KeySearch, Court Docs, and Site Map.

  3. Let's change a few default settings. Click the Preferences link. Set your Time zone to Eastern and click Save. Next, click the Document Display link and turn on the automatic display of images. Click Save Changes. Next, click the Result List Display link and change the number of documents displayed at a time to 50. Click Save Changes. Next, click the Print & Download link. Enter your email address and select an appropriate file format. Dual Column is best for reading and printing and Single Column is best for word-processing. Files downloaded or emailed from Westlaw contain live embedded links to the cases, statutes, regulations, law review articles, and other materials cited in the document. Click Save Changes twice.

  4. Suppose you need help with the various Preferences settings. Click the Help link in the upper-right of the top frame. You should now see a Help Center frame at the right of the screen. Notice the Live Help template. Live Help initiates a chat session between you and Westlaw customer support. Click the Exit button to close the Help Center. For more context-sensitive help, click the yellow Preferences help icon (Westlaw Help icon) in the top of the left frame. Or call Westlaw customer support at: 1-800-850-9378.

Congratulations! You are now already extremely familiar with many of the LexisNexis & Westlaw services, tools, commands and features and are ready to begin using them in your legal research. Next, we will locate a case by its citation and update it.

Prev | Next