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This guide provides an introduction to Boolean (often used interchangeably with Terms & Connectors) searching and natural language searching, with a focus on searching for legal materials.
The below chart compares natural language search examples with terms and connectors search examples.
Natural Language Search | Terms & Connectors Search |
---|---|
endangered species sea turtles | "Endangered Species Act" AND "sea turtles" /p habitat! |
classroom photocopies copyright infringement | (reproduc! OR photocop!) /s (class! OR educat!) AND "copyright infringement" |
If your search retrieves too many results, you can narrow your search by using some of the connectors listed here.
In the chart below, the left column contain operators for use on Lexis, while the right column contain operators for use on Westlaw. This chart can also be downloaded as a PDF at the bottom of this page.
If your search retrieves too few results, you can broaden your search by using OR or root expanders.
In the chart below, the left column contains operators for use on Lexis, while the right column contains operators for use on Westlaw. This chart can also be downloaded as a PDF at the bottom of this page.
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