Westlaw & LexisNexis Research Flashcards

What is Shepard's Citations on LexisNexis?

Answer: A citator tracking history and treatment of authorities to verify validity and show how they have been cited

Shepard's Citations tracks history and treatment of legal authorities using signal indicators for current validity.

What are secondary sources on legal platforms and when should they be used?

Answer: Analytical materials like treatises, encyclopedias, law reviews, and practice guides, best used as research starting points

Secondary sources are valuable starting points for understanding unfamiliar areas of law.

What is a terms and connectors search in LexisNexis?

Answer: A Boolean search using AND, OR, NOT, w/n, and w/s for precise queries

Terms and connectors uses Boolean logic to combine, exclude, and specify proximity of search terms.

What is the Lexis+ AI feature?

Answer: An AI-powered tool providing conversational answers with linked citations to authoritative legal sources

Lexis+ AI uses generative AI to provide sourced answers with direct links to verified legal authorities.

What is cost-effective research and why is it important for paralegals?

Answer: Efficient use of tools and strategies to minimize time and expenses while achieving thorough results

Cost-effective research balances thoroughness with efficiency because research time is billed to clients.

How do you use filters and facets to narrow search results on legal platforms?

Answer: Use jurisdiction, date range, court level, practice area, and document type filters to narrow results

Both platforms provide multiple filters that can be applied before or after searching to narrow results.