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Check the links below for short research videos, most run from 5 to 10 minutes, covering some of the basic aspects of researching the U.S. legal system.
Contact the GMU Reference Office to arrange for more in-depth instruction on conducting research or finding and using research resources.
If you are the exploring type, you can find good research ideas in a number of different corners of the web.
Caveat: Be critical of the sources you use. Make sure the source is a recognizable authority.
Our research platform vendors provide telephone and chat assistance. They can provide guidance with using their sites to the fullest. Tele-help is available around the clock:
Westlaw: 1-800-REF-ATTY (1-800-733-2889)
LexisNexis: 1-800-543-6862
Bloomberg Law: 1-212-318-2000
The training certifications available through the Westlaw Knowledge & Training Center are recommended. A few good tutorials to review before you start researching are linked below:
The Westlaw Basic Research Certification is also very good.
The LexisNexis Proficiency Certification on demand modules let you learn at your own pace. The training sessions are helpful for all users of their research platform. Login with your Lexis login. Some key sessions are noted below:
If you don’t have time, check out these shorter, more task focused LexisNexis How-To Videos, most have a roughly 2-minute runtime. You may also find other resources on this training site helpful.
The more you view the more you’ll know.
Video for Lexis Advance platform. Steps and navigation are similar on the Lexis+ site.
Apart from Westlaw and LexisNexis, you can quickly access legal resources by registering for an account with Bloomberg Law which offers personalized recommendations based on your search and platform activity.
Like Westlaw and LexisNexis, Bloomberg Law is a premier legal research database. But its focal points are taxation as well as corporate and business areas of law. Below are resource links that deal with some specific areas of law:
Here are Bloomberg how-to videos which will help you better utilize Bloomberg’s system:
