What is field searching in Westlaw?
Asked by: Berniece Kassulke MD | Last update: October 17, 2025Score: 5/5 (10 votes)
Field & Segment Searching Documents in Lexis and Westlaw are divided into individual sections, known as fields or segments. This allows you to search only for words that appear in the specified fields.
What is field searching?
Field searching is searching a specific field of all database records. Nearly all databases have an Advanced Search page with multiple fields to choose from. The default field in a database is usually 'All Fields' or 'Anywhere'. Searching this field means that you're searching all fields at the same time.
What is an example of field searching technique?
A field search directs the database to search for the words that you have entered, but only with relation to a specific category or "field". For example, Hemingway, Ernest in the author field will only search for works by him, not for anything about him.
How to search effectively on Westlaw?
- Running an Advanced Search.
- Type ADV: in front of your search 2. Run a search that includes a proximity connector (/5, /S, /P) or quotation marks 3. ...
- Connectors within parentheses operate first. ...
- *No automatic compound search word feature.
- Connectors of the same type operate from left to right.
What is the digest field in Westlaw?
The Digest Field is a combination of the Topic and Headnote fields. The Words and Phrases (wp) field is used when you need to find a judicial definition of a word or phrase in the body of the case. No documents are retrieved that discuss the word or phrase without defining it.
Article Searching in Westlaw
What is field searching Westlaw?
Field & Segment Searching
Documents in Lexis and Westlaw are divided into individual sections, known as fields or segments. This allows you to search only for words that appear in the specified fields.
Is a digest a finding tool?
A digest helps you to find cases on a specific legal issue or topic. West digests use headnotes and key numbers to organize and summarize all cases by subject.
Can you search Westlaw by judge?
Click into either Cases or Trial Court Orders from the Westlaw homepage. Then select the Advanced link to the right of the search bar to go to the template. 2. Under Document Fields, type the name of the judge into the appropriate box.
How much does a search on Westlaw cost?
Westlaw suggests billing $99 per search, which price includes all the documents clicked on (unless the document is outside of the plan). This is known as "Westlaw Predictable Pricing".
What is Boolean searching on Westlaw?
Boolean searches use connectors between two or more search terms that indicate a relationship between the terms. Boolean searches may be used: In data filtering to identify potentially relevant or responsive documents. By counsel when reviewing documents in a document review platform.
What is the main purpose of field searching lib 160?
Field searching lets you tell a database exactly where you want your keywords to be found. "Fields" are pieces of information that library databases keep for each article, book, etc. that they search. For example, every article has its own title, author(s), subject terms, abstract, date, etc.
What is an example of a field method?
Examples of field research
For instance, an anthropologist might conduct participant observation in a remote community to understand their customs, beliefs, and practices. Ecology: Ecologists use field research methods to learn the behavior of organisms and their interactions with the environment.
What are the 7 search strategy techniques?
- Choosing search terms.
- Searching with keywords.
- Searching for exact phrases.
- Using truncated and wildcard searches.
- Searching with subject headings.
- Using Boolean logic.
- Citation searching.
When should you search by a specific field?
We recommend precision/field searching when you need to find a relatively small number of sources on a specific topic. Precision searching is most useful for smaller projects like course term papers, problem-solving activities, and making consumer choices.
What is field test in site investigation?
Definition. Field testing is a term used for all in-situ based methods and techniques that qualitatively and quantitatively determine physical, strength, deformability and hydromechanical properties of geomaterials in geotechnical site investigation.
What are examples of information that a search field could contain?
- Author.
- Article Title.
- Abstract.
- Journal Title.
- Subject Headings.
Is Lexis or Westlaw more popular?
Comparing the market share of Westlaw and Lexis Advance
Westlaw has a 26.72% market share in the Legal Research category, while Lexis Advance has a 5.77% market share in the same space.
Can I use Westlaw for free?
Note that California's online regulations and online case law are made available through "free" portals provided by Westlaw and Lexis, respectively.
Can you do a people search on Westlaw?
Find people, assets, and hidden connections faster
PeopleMap on Thomson Reuters Westlaw is the premier public records search tool for discovering data other resources might miss.
Do lawyers use Westlaw?
Westlaw is an online legal research service and proprietary database for lawyers and legal professionals available in over 60 countries.
What is segment searching?
Online documents have different sections called segments. You can search in specific segments of the documents to get more accurate results for your research. Use segments to create a search in the Search box or in Search Within Results when you look at your results.
What is the one good case method?
One commonly recommended research technique is to find "One Good Case" and work outward from it. This technique relies on the law's extensive use of citations, which create citation networks connecting seemingly disparate sources.
What is alr?
American Law Reports (frequently abbreviated and referred to as ALR) contains in-depth articles on narrow topics of the law. ALR articles, called annotations, provide background, analysis, and citations to relevant cases, statutes, law review articles, and other annotations.
What is the difference between a key number and a headnote?
Headnote: A brief summary of a legal rule or significant facts in a case. Key Number: It is an indexing system devised for American case law, developed by West (now Thomson Reuters). The key number is a permanent number given to a specific point of a case law.