Internet Research

1. Internet Research Online Databases: Lexis-Nexis

2. Database • A database is a collection of information put together in a certain way. • The phone book is a database: a collection of names, addresses and phone numbers put together in alphabetical order.

3. Databases online • Much of the information found on the Internet is stored and retrieved from databases. • For example, search engines such as Google, create databases of web sites, stored by keywords.

4. Fee-based databases • Some companies recognized the value of collecting and storing certain information in databases for access by others – for a fee. • Companies store databases of news articles, business reports and much other information.

5. Libraries & databases • Libraries, especially university libraries, purchase access to these databases for their patrons. • Lehigh University has a large collection of databases available for users.

6. Lexis-Nexis • Lexis-Nexis is an important database. • The two names point to two distinct subjects for storage and retrieval – law and news.

7. Lexis • Lexis is a huge database of legal material – cases, statutes, regulations, journals and law reviews. • If you are going into law, you will become very acquainted with Lexis or its main rival, Westlaw.

8. Nexis • Nexis focuses on storing articles from newspapers, magazines, company directories, polls, speeches, and transcripts of broadcast news. • Nexis a great resource for research of all kinds.

9. Help with papers • Suppose you are doing a paper on Internet privacy. • Use Nexis to find: • The latest CBS News report devoted to Internet privacy. • A Roper poll with questions about privacy. • Recent news articles devoted to Internet privacy.

10. Another tool • Though the fees for online databases can be too much for one individual, the services often are available through universities and companies. • Online databases provide the Internet researcher with yet another tool for finding information.