Cost Saving Tips for Lexis and Westlaw

Posted on Posted in Lexis and Westlaw

Sue Altmeyer, Electronic Services Librarian, sue.altmeyer@law.csuohio.edu | March 06, 2009 – 13:19

If you are clerking (or moving on to full-time employment), keep in mind these tips for saving money while searching on Lexis and Westlaw:

  • Ask the firm librarian re. the firm’s price plan
  • Use print or cheaper databases first
  • Before going online: Create your search, figure out the cost
  • Call the Lexis/Westlaw reference attorney
  • Use the most specific database – it is cheaper
  • Start general and use focus or locate to narrow the search
  • Decide whether it is more economical to search transactional or hourly and whether to print line by line or by document
  • Use get or find instead of searching, if you have the cite
  • Browse the table of contents, or use book browse on Lexis at no charge. On Westlaw, the arrow keys allowing one to scroll between documents results in an additional charge. The Westlaw help calls this feature “documents in sequence”.
  • Use CheckCite® and WestCheck to check citations.
  • Print with your Web browser or cut & paste for free.

The Lexis and Westlaw reference attorneys can run your search for you and tell you whether it produced results, or suggest other search statements.

Image: ‘Phat Wad, Break me off some‘
www.flickr.com/photos/51486173@N00/223052548

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