LexisNexis & Westlaw Tutorial
LexisNexis & Westlaw provide access to U.S. federal and state primary and secondary law sources as well as sources of international law and the laws of a growing number of other jurisdictions. Sources vary by jurisdiction, but may include constitutions, legislation, legislative history, statutory codes, regulations, regulatory materials, cases, case digests, citators, public records, law reviews, treatises, and legal and general news.
About this tutorial
This tutorial introduces a basic set of skills to get you started using LexisNexis and Westlaw for legal research: sign on and off; locate a case by citation; select a database; construct a terms and connectors search; view, navigate, print, download and email search results; and view and manipulate your research history. In each of the following tasks, we have grouped instructions for both services together. You may prefer, however, to explore one service first and then the other. As with many products competing in the same market, LexisNexis & Westlaw have become extremely similar. A service, tool or command in one will often have an exact parallel in the other. As you use each service, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the information and options presented on the screen.
- Skill 1: Sign on to LexisNexis & Westlaw
- Skill 2: Locate a case by citation and update it
- Skill 3: Select a case law database
- Skill 4: Conduct a terms & connectors search
- Skill 5: Navigate and manipulate your search results
- Skill 6: Capture your research: email yourself a case & review your search history
- Skill 7: Sign off from LexisNexis & Westlaw
What to do if you would like additional instruction
Help is available. Feel free to contact the Langdell reference desk, 617-495-4516, langref@law.harvard.edu, located just off the reading room on the fourth floor of Langdell Hall with any questions.
You may also phone LexisNexis & Westlaw support:
- LexisNexis: 1-800-455-3947
- Westlaw: 1-800-850-9378
The library sponsors introductory and advanced LexisNexis & Westlaw training classes throughout the academic year for students who would like hands-on instruction. All classes are held in the Langdell Computer Classroom (L233) located on two north. Training schedules and sign-ups are available at the LexisNexis and Westlaw home pages. (See Skill 1.)
LexisNexis and Westlaw documentation, reference materials, tutorials and videos are available at their home pages and in print in the Langdell Computer Classroom.
LexisNexis & Westlaw accounts
LexisNexis and Westlaw accounts are distributed to new students in their registration packets. Please stop by the Langdell reference desk if you are a new student and did not receive your accounts. LexisNexis and Westlaw require you to register your new accounts with them. When you register you will have the opportunity to create a custom ID or username and a custom password. LexisNexis requires you to then use these in order to access their services. With Westlaw, they are optional. See the instructions provided on your LexisNexis and Westlaw account cards.
For more information on LexisNexis and Westlaw accounts, please see LexisNexis at HLS and Westlaw at HLS.
Compiled and edited by Michael Jimenez.