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Communication

How to do research in Communication.

Nexis Uni Advanced Search Aids

Within the search box you can use the following search aids to refine your search:

/n command (where “n” equals any number you specify between 2 and 255)
Allows you to specify the number of words that appear between two search terms

A rule of thumb:

Use /2 when searching for a person's name:
John /2 McCain

Use /5 when searching for items in the same phrase: 
Hogan /5 budget*

Use /25 when searching for items in the same sentence:
keystone pipeline /25 drilling

Use /50 when searching for items in the same paragraph (NOTE: You can use /p instead of /50 for the same result)
higher education /50 funding
higher education /p funding


! symbol: truncation (multiple characters)
Example: A search of Econ! will result in entries including terms such as: Economic, Economics, Econometric, Economy, etc.
[Note: You will need to watch for “false hits” when you use truncation! In the example above, results could also include such terms as Econoline, the automobile.]

* symbol: truncation (single character)
Example: A search of rain* will result in entries with rain, rains, rainy in the search results, but not rained.
 

Nexis Uni Usage Notes

IMPORTANT NOTE: Nexis Uni is full-text but does NOT contain charts, tables, graphs or photographs. Articles that originally had these items included within them will list a caption or other indicator of what the original graphic was the end of the record.

If you need to access the original article showing charts/tables/graphs, search for the publication in WorldCat UM.

Look up a Legal Case

On the main Nexis Uni screen, click on the Cases button, located on the left of the screen, under Or let us help you find it...

 

Cases can be located in the following ways:

  • By citation – using all three parts of a legal citation (volume, reporter, page) such as:    483 U.S. 522
    • Note: Click on Citation Help in the widget for help in entering citations 
  • By parties – using one or both party names
  • By topic – searches the headnotes of cases for keywords entered.

Note the links to help for citations, and locating cases and law reviews.

Advanced Legal Search Options

For a more targeted search of legal materials, select the "All Nexis Uni" function next to the search symbol in the upper right of the home page.

On the left margin, under "Narrow By" you may select the category you wish to search:

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Once you have selected the category you wish to search, click on "Jurisdiction," directly under "Category."

Here, you may broaden or narrow your search by checking the appropriate Federal or State jurisdictions.

 After you have made your category and/or jurisdiction selections, add your search terms inside the main search box and click the Search symbol.

 

You may refine and edit your results through selecting from the selections on the left, as well as altering the timeline of your search.

Searching Practice Areas & Topics