Westlaw Classic
When running a search in classic, you had to choose whether you were running a Terms & Connectors or a Natural Language Search.
WestlawNext
In WestlawNext, you also have the option to search either through terms and connectors or using natural language, but you do not have to tell the database which you are using. Based on what you type in the search box (i.e. whether or not you use any connectors), the database will know which type of search to run.
You can also run an advanced search by clicking the Advanced link to the right of the search button. This will allow you to create a terms and connectors search, and also gives you access to field searching. Note: the fields in advanced search will change depending on what type of content you're searching, so this feature works much better when searching a particular content type. See below.
This image shows only a fraction of the fields you can search for cases. You can run an advanced searching using as many or as few of these fields as needed.
Westlaw Classic
To find specific cases on Classic, you utilize the Find By Citation box, and can search by citation or party name:
WestlawNext
In WestlawNext, you can also look up specific cases, but instead of a Find by Citation box, you simply use the main search bar; just as in Classic, you can look up a case by citation or by party name. As you type, WestlawNext will suggest documents to you; when you see the case you're looking for, click on it, and you'll be taken right to it.
Westlaw Classic
To run a case law search in Classic, you would first check the boxes next to the jurisdictions you wanted to include in your search, with the more general option to search All State Cases, All Federal Cases, or All State and Federal Cases as well. With the database(s) selected, you would then run your search from the main search box.
WestlawNext
In WestlawNext, you have a couple of options:
Search Case Law Only - Just below the main search bar, in the All Content tab, select Cases. If you have only one jurisdiction you wish to search, click on that jurisdiction. Alternatively, you'll notice that the search bar at the top of the page has changed. You can now search Cases only, rather than the entire database. By clicking the drop-down menu at the right of the search bar, you can select as many different jurisdictions as you'd like to add to your search.
Search Entire Database, and Filter Afterward - While you have the option to begin your search in cases alone, WestlawNext is designed so that you can search the entire database and then filter your search results afterwards by content type. To do this, simply run your search in the main search bar, and then click on Cases under View in your search results to see case law search results only. (The advantage of this method is that, should you decide to look at statutes or secondary sources for this same search later, you can just return to your search results and choose a different content type under View.)
