Cost Saving Tips for 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. For more, see LexisNexis Cost Effective Research Strategies and Cost Effective Research Tips-Westlaw

Image: 'Phat Wad, Break me off some'
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Two "documents in sequence" caveats [Reply]

Non Galt | 13/03/2009, 23:37

First, such a feature is not available on Westlaw. Clicking the back and forward arrows incurs a new charge each time.

Second, on Lexis, one must click "Book Browse" before being able to flip from page to page at no additional charge.

Full disclosure: I work for LexisNexis and used Westlaw every day for 3 months as a summer associate in 2008.

Westlaw/Lexis costs saving tips [Reply]

Sue Altmeyer | 16/03/2009, 10:13

Thanks for your input. These services sometimes change their pricing structure. I will correct the post.

Nice tips [Reply]

PDF | 04/12/2009, 11:24

Nice tips! Thanks! It is nice that something is already corrected by the readers. It is normal, because the world is changing. Well, what I wanted to say, is to encourage everybody to use these and all possible tips to save money. You know but before the crisis our expenditures became larger and larger though there were ways to stop it.

[Reply]

Research Papers | 29/03/2010, 00:13

As firms everywhere are trying to cut costs, you can do your share by being efficient with your use of Lexis and Westlaw

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