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Guide to the Three Major Commercial Legal Databases

Contrast and Comparison of WestlawNext, Lexis Advance, and Bloomberg Law

Boolean Terms

Boolean

End Result WestlawNext Lexis Advance Bloomberg Law Examples

results that have both terms

&, and and and privileges & immunities (W), privileges and immunities (W, L, B)
results that have either term or, space b/t words or or privileges or immunities (W, L, B), privileges immunity (W)

results that exclude a term

%, but not and not and not, but not privileges % immunities (W), privileges but not immunities (W, B), privileges and not immunities (L, B)

 

Word Variants

Word Variants

Type of Variant WestlawNext Lexis Advance Bloomberg Law Example:
root expanders ! ! ! modif! finds results with  modify, modifying, modified, modification, modifications etc. (W, L, B); modif* does the same (L)
single letter variation in a word * * or ? * m*n brings back results with man and men (W, L, B); m?n does the same (L)

singular and plural forms of the same word

searched automatically regular plurals searched automatically must check the "include word variations" box on search page automatic (W, L), check the box in B
hyphenated terms and words searching as a hyphenated word will automatically search any form searching as a hyphenated word will automatically search any form must search both hyphenated word and unhyphenated word, connected by 'or' e-mail will automatically search for e-mail and email (W, L), must search both in B ('e-mail' or "email")

 

 

Searching Tips

 

Proximity Search Commands

Proximity of Words and Terms

WestlawNext Lexis Advance Bloomberg Law Example
words and terms within the same sentence /s, w/s w/sent, w/s, /s* s/, /s, /sent installment /s contracts (W, L, B), installment w/s contracts (W, L), assault w/sent battery (L, B), installment s/ contracts (B)
words and terms within the same paragraph /p, w/p w/para, w/p, /p* p/, /p, /para installment /p contracts, (W, L, B), installment w/p contracts (W, L), assault w/para battery (L, B), installment p/ contracts (B)
words and terms located within a certain number of  words /n near/n /n, w/n installment /5 contracts (W, B), installment near/5 contracts (L), installment w/5 contracts (B)
words and terms located within a certain number of  words and in a designated order +n pre/n +n, pre/n installment +7 contracts (W, B), installment pre/5 contracts (L, B)
particular phrase searching within quotes within quotes within quotes, space between words "installment contracts" (W, L, B), installment contracts (B)
grouping words and terms within parentheses within parentheses within parantheses (installment contracts) /s (separate lots) (W, L, B)
word and term frequency in results atleastn [doesn't support] atln, atleastn atleast5(contracts) (W, B), atl5(contracts) (B)