Step by Step with LexisNexis
LexisNexis is a large one hundred percent full text index that covers not only legal topics, but also any subject that makes its way to a daily newspaper's pages.
- Before you touch the keyboard, think carefully about your topic. Most topics for college level papers can take the form of a short phrase. If your topic is just one word, you may need to elaborate on it and think about it some more. An example of a topic phrase is: the health effects of using a cell phone.
- Look at your topic phrase. Look for single words that can become plurals such as cell phone and cell phones. Also look for synonyms and related words such as: hazards, dangers, or radiation for health. Write down several alternate versions of your topic phrase.
- To search LexisNexis, enter GALILEO http://www.galileo.usg.edu. Then click the golden Databases A-Z tab near the top of the front page and then click L. LexisNexis has a distinctive red and grey icon. Click on the blue LexisNexis text or the icon next to it.
- LexisNexis starts all users off with EasySearch which works for most topics. If you are searching for a legal case or information on a specific company, click Legal or Business, both written in white in the small, bright red bar near the top of the screen.
- Near the bottom of the screen, is a scroll box. For very broad or current topics set it to previous six months or sooner. For very narrow topics, set it to previous five years or longer. Otherwise, leave it alone.
- Type one of your topic phrases in to the big text box.
- The bright red Search Button launches your search.
- LexisNexis presents results twenty-five(25) at a time, in
a frame that takes up most of the screen. LexisNexis sorts articles by
relevance to bring what it thinks are the best articles to the top.
- If your results are not what you expected, click the blue link in the upper left corner of the browser window. This lets you revise your search. You may need to try various versions of your topic phrase or use related terms or synonyms to get a topic phrase that works for you.
- You can move among results with the scroll bar and move between pages with the small, white Previous and Next arrows at the top or the small page numbers and arrows at the bottom of the frame.
- To see the full text of any article in LexisNexis, click on its blue title.
- To print an article, click on the small print icon in the top
right corner of the article frame. Then print the article using the
browser's Print icon.
- To email an article, click the small email icon in the top right corner of the article frame. Then follow the instructions.
