Search Reference
Connectors and Special Characters
Connectors
Root Expander
Universal Character
Automatic Plurals and Equivalent Terms
Search Box Rules
Compound Words
Abbreviations
Common Words
Field Restrictions
Annotation and Library Group Field Restrictions
Profile Field Restrictions
Dates
Include or Exclude Terms
Connectors and Special Characters
Connectors
Use connectors to specify the relationships that must exist between the terms in your retrieved documents.
Connector |
Symbol |
Retrieves |
| AND | & | Both search terms in the same document: narcotics & warrant |
| OR | (space) | Either search term or both terms: car automobile |
| Grammatical Connectors | /s | Search terms in the same sentence: design /s defect |
| /p | Search terms in the same paragraph: hearsay /p utterance |
|
| +s | The first term preceding the second within the same sentence: palsgraf +s island |
|
| Numerical Connectors | /n | Search terms within "n" terms of each other (where "n" is a number): person** /3 jurisdiction |
| +n | The first term preceding the second within "n" terms (where "n" is a number): 20 +5 1080 |
|
| Phrase | " " | Search terms appearing in the same order as in the quotation marks: "attractive nuisance" |
| BUT NOT | % | Documents not containing the term or terms following the % symbol: r.i.c.o. % "puerto rico" |
Root Expander
To retrieve words with variant endings, type the root expander (!).
Type: |
To retrieve: |
| object! | object, objected, objection, objecting |
Universal Character
To represent one variable character, type the universal character (*).
Type: |
To retrieve: |
| jur** | jury, juror (but not jurisdiction) |
Automatic Plurals and Equivalent Terms
By default, searches retrieve plural forms and equivalent terms. To find the exact term you specify in the search, type the # symbol in front of the term.
Type: |
To retrieve: |
| #damage | damage (not damages) |
| #willful | willful (not wilful) |
For a list of equivalent terms for jurisdictions, see Equivalent Terms for Jurisdictions.
Compound Words
If your search term is a compound word, use its hyphenated form to retrieve all variations.
Type: |
To retrieve: |
| good-will | goodwill, good-will, good will |
Abbreviations
If your search term is an abbreviation, type it with periods and without spaces to retrieve all variations.
Type: |
To retrieve: |
| h.i.v. | H.I.V., H. I. V., HIV, H I V |
Search Box Rules
When using the search box at the top of the West km interface, the following rules apply:
The following connectors and special characters in a search trigger a terms and connectors search:
- /p (and +p)
- /s
- +s
- /n
- +n
- %
- *
- !
- #
- field restrictions, e.g., DOCTI()
- AND (&)
- OR (a space)
- quotation marks
Common Words
These common words are not searched unless they are included in a phrase. You search for a phrase by placing it in quotation marks.
|
about above after also although an and as at be because before between but by either for from further here |
however if in into mr now of on or other out over since such than that the then there |
therefore these this those through thus to under until upon what when where whether which while with within without |
Field Restrictions
|
Field |
Abbreviation |
Examples |
|
Exemplar Documents |
exem |
exem(1) Use one of these values in the parentheses:
0
= no marking |
|
Notes |
annos |
annos(power +3 attorney) |
|
Results with Notes |
com |
com(true) Use one of these values in the parentheses:
true
= has notes |
|
Library Group |
lg |
lg("ny office") |
|
Field |
Abbreviation |
Examples |
|
Abstract |
abst |
abst("motion to dismiss") |
|
Author |
au |
au(john /3 maxwell) |
|
Client ID |
cid |
cid(1587) |
|
Client Name |
cn |
cn(reardon) |
|
Client-Matter ID |
cmid |
cmid(1587-2228) |
|
Client-Matter Name |
cmn |
cmn(reardon & pritchard) |
|
DMS Doc Type |
dt |
dt(brief or memo!) |
|
DMS Number |
dn |
dn(32027) |
|
File Name |
ti |
ti(nevada & blueson) |
|
Matter ID |
mi |
mi(1587-2228) |
|
Matter Name |
mn |
mn(pritchard) |
|
Created Date |
cd |
specific date:
cd(1/14/2011)
|
|
Modified Date |
md |
specific date:
md(2/14/2011) |
|
Custom 1 |
cus1 |
cus1(antitrust) |
|
Custom Bool |
cusb |
cusb(search! /3 seiz!) |
Note: The availability of fields depends on your organization's metadata.
Note: The Created Date and Modified Date fields are not inclusive when you search a range of documents. For example, if you search for documents modified after 1/1/2010, documents modified on January 1, 2010, won't be retrieved.
Note: The data in custom fields depends on the DMS fields that your administrator has mapped. The examples shown assume Custom 1 is mapped to a practice area field, Custom 2 is mapped to a document sub-type field, and Custom 3 is mapped to a form type field.
These field restrictions are available only when you search your organization's documents. When simultaneously searching WestlawNext documents and your organization's documents, (1) these field restrictions are not available, and (2) field restrictions you have specified for your WestlawNext documents are converted to regular terms when you search your organization's documents.
Dates
Dates are recognized when entered in any of the following formats:
- November 1, 2012
- Nov 1 2012
- Nov. 1, 2012
- 11-1-2012
- 11/1/2012
- 1 Nov 2012
- 1 November 2012
Include or Exclude Terms
|
This text box: |
Uses this rule: |
|
All of these terms |
& (AND) is the default connector for terms separated by spaces |
|
Any of these terms |
OR is the default connector for terms separated by spaces |
|
This exact phrase |
quotation marks enclose terms separated by spaces |
|
Exclude documents that have |
% (BUT NOT) is placed before the entered terms; |
If connectors or special characters are entered that are inconsistent with the defaults, the defaults are overridden.
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