Today's issue of TL NewsWire covers a legal research service with a new data visualization tool that makes it faster to assess a case's relevance (see article below). In addition, you'll find links to the previous 11 TL NewsWire features, including our coverage of four practice management systems, CRM software that integrates external data sources, a virtual desktop service, case analysis software, contract management software, and much more. Don't miss the next issue.
The initial stage of case law research involves trying to divine the relevance of the cases in your search results as quickly as possible. Lawyers complain so much about this time-consuming process that LexisNexis decided to take action.
Lexis Advance Search Term Maps … in One Sentence
Launched this month, Lexis Advance Search Term Maps uses color mapping to help you process case law search results more efficiently.
The Killer Feature
Search Term Maps stems from scientific studies showing that our brain processes visual information up to 60,000 times faster than text.
When you enter a Boolean or natural language search with up to five terms, Lexis Advance displays the new Graphical View with a Search Term Location Bar above each case in the search results. Using a different color for each search term, this bar shows a summary view of where your search terms reside in the case (searches with six or more terms use one color). You’ll also know whether search terms reside in the summary, headnotes, opinion, dissent, etc. A legend above the Search Term Location Bar lists each search term in its designated color.
The density of colors in the Search Term Location Bar indicates the overall relevance of the case. An asterisk directs you to the location in the case likely to be the most important. Clicking on a colored area in the Search Term Location Bar displays the corresponding document snippet with your search terms highlighted in their respective color. You can turn off less important search terms to focus on those with greater importance. This updates the search terms shown in the Search Term Location Bar.
Other Notable Features
When you’re ready to read a case, you’ll find a similar Search Term Location Bar in the full document view, except this bar displays every hit in the case. You can visually see the density and location of your search terms. Additionally, the Search Term Location Bar has an interactive slider that enables you to scroll through the case faster than using a vertical scroll bar.
Hovering over a color marker displays the corresponding search terms. Click to jump to that location. For more data, the Navigate All Terms menu lists each keyword and the number of hits. From this menu, you can select just one search term to display in the Search Term Location Bar and in the case.
“Our customers’ response to Search Term Maps has been very positive,” said Sean Fitzpatrick, Managing Director of North American Research Solutions at LexisNexis Legal & Professional. “They immediately understand the power of data visualization and the resulting professional productivity gains. The ability to quickly spot term hit density as well as the location and co-occurrence of terms within their search results allows users to easily identify patterns, judge the relevance of their search results and navigate individual documents with unprecedented speed.”
What Else Should You Know?
In both the search results and document views, a search within your original search displays the new search terms in the color teal to distinguish them from your original search terms. Also, you can use only one color for the Search Term Location Bar if you prefer. At anytime, you can switch from the Graphical View with Search Term Maps to traditional Lexis Advance views and back again. You can also choose which view to make the default. Search Term Maps is available for all case law in Lexis Advance. Learn more about Lexis Advance Search Term Maps.
How to Receive TL NewsWire
So many products, so little time. In each issue of TL NewsWire, you'll learn about five new products for the legal profession. Pressed for time? The newsletter's innovative articles enable lawyers and law office administrators to quickly understand the function of a product, and zero in on its most important features. The TL NewsWire newsletter is free so don't miss the next issue. Please subscribe now.
