Natural Language searching: Rediscover plain English

Natural Language searching is a lifesaver for those new to Westlaw. But in many situations, Natural Language assists even experienced researchers—researchers who can write Terms and Connectors queries in their sleep. These situations may include the following:

• You are researching an unfamiliar topic and are unsure which terms or connectors to use.
• You are searching law reviews for background material.
• Your Terms and Connectors search retrieved few relevant documents.

How do you run a Natural Language search?

To run a Natural Language search, follow these steps:

1. Access a database or multiple databases.
2. At the Search page, click the Natural Language tab if it is not already selected.
3. Type a description of your issue in the Search text box. To add synonyms and other related concepts to your description, you can click Thesaurus or type your own terms in the description immediately following the concept to which they relate and enclose them in parentheses, e.g., income (earnings compensation) of minor (child infant).
4. Click Search Westlaw.

Sample Natural Language Descriptions

is plastic (cosmetic) surgery deductible as a medical expense
are punitive damage awards taxable
clean-up hazardous waste
what notice of copyright is required for sound recordings
tree branch (limb) crossing property line (border boundary)
adequate notice of forfeiture under section 983
right to replacement under magnuson-moss
stay of bankruptcy proceedings
innocent owner defense

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