Research Tips for BPST 314:

Business Legal Environment

Paul BogerCGPS Reference Librarian

pboger@umw.edu

Business and Legal Databases:

• Access to business, financial, and legal information

• Different databases will provide different information

Business Source Complete

Legal Collection

Where do I begin?

How do I find Lexis-Nexis?

Databases – 24/7 Database A-Z list Databases by Subject Research Guides

• Click the drop-down menu by “Research by Subject”

• Click on Professional Studies (BPS) – to access suggested research resources

• Click “GO”

Research Guide

• Click on the “Databases” tab

Research Guide

• Click on any “LexisNexis” link

• Contact the Library if you need assistance

Can I use the databases from home?

jsmith

password

• You will have to log-in to the databases when off-campus

• Contact the Library if you have access problems

• You can access LexisNexis using any link on the Research Guide

• Simply navigate between subject searches by using the tab selections at the top of the screen

• The red tab indicates the subject you are currently searching

• Click “Business” to search for corporate information

: Company Dossier Search

• Perform a “Company Dossier” search

• Enter your company name or ticker symbol

• You can search for private or public companies

•Click Search

• Click the name of your company to find detailed business information

• Under “Company Type”, note the differences for parent vs. subsidiary, and public vs. private companies

: Company Dossier Search

: Company Dossier Results

• Use the Reports menu to locate additional information on a company

• Click “Legal Information” for cases involving your company

: SEC Filings

• Use the menu on the left to navigate to different types of business searches

• Select “SEC Filings”

: SEC Filings

• Enter a company name or ticker symbol to retrieve full text corporate SEC filings

• Use “Sources” to search for a specific SEC form

• Limit your searches by time period

• Navigate between subject searches by using the tab selections at the top of the screen

• To change to a Legal search, click the “Legal” option

: Legal Search

• Use the Legal Searches menu (on the left) to navigate to different legal search options

• The type of legal search is determined by what is in bold at the top of the legal search options

• Click on “Federal & State Cases”

: Federal & State Cases

: Legal Citation Search

• Enter your legal citation

• Spacing and punctuation are important

• Use the “Sources” menu to limit your results to federal or state information

• Click “Search”

: Legal Citation Results

• In the same search screen, you can also search by litigants

• Only one name is required

• You can even search by keywords

: Case Search

• Use the Legal Searches menu (on the left) to navigate within the different legal search options

• Click on “Federal & State Codes”

: Federal & State Codes

• Enter your keywords

• Use quotation marks for an exact phrase

• Select the correct legal sources

• Click “Search”

: Federal & State Codes

: Results List

• Full text links

• Sort by “Publication Date” or “Relevance”

• Print, email, save

• Results breakdown

• Edit searches and start new searches

• Search within your results list

• Different subject portals – business, legal, news

• Full text

• Searching:

• Boolean operators (AND, NOT, OR)

• Phrase searching – use quotation marks

• Truncation – use exclamation point (!)

• Natural Language – form of a question

• Save, print, email – in pdf, html, or word

: Search Tips

Legal Dictionaries:

• Oxford Dictionary of Law – online through the “Oxford Reference Online” database

• Black’s Law Dictionary – in print in the CGPS Library (KF156 .B53 2004 REF)

Oxford Dictionary of Law• Start at the “Databases A to Z” page

• Click on the letter “O”

• Click “Oxford Reference Online Premium”

Oxford Reference Online

Click the Law selection

Oxford Law Sources:

• Search all of the law titles

OR

• Select a specific title to search

Will all of my books and articles be available in the CGPS Library?

Illiad – to request materials from the Simpson Library

Create an Illiad Account Make requests via online forms 24-48 hour delivery from Simpson Library Books from Simpson Library are free $2 fee for articles located at Simpson

Go to Simpson and use your EagleOne Card

What if UMW doesn’t have what I need?

Illiad – to request materials from other libraries Create an Illiad Account Make requests via online forms 20 free requests per semester Articles are usually delivered via email Books are shipped to CGPS Library

Need help? Have Questions?

Come to the Library Mondays - Thursdays 1 p.m. -

9 p.m. Fridays 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. Saturdays 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Contact the Library Staff cgpslib@umw.edu 540-286-8025 IM: cgpslibrary

Set up a Research Appointment pboger@umw.edu 540-286-8066

Served at 5:30

Monday thru Thursday