Research Tips for BPST 314:

Business Legal Environment

Paul BogerCGPS Reference Librarian

pboger@umw.edu

Where do I begin?

How do I find the library’s database?

Databases – 24/7 Database A-Z list Databases by Subject Research Guides

• Click the drop-down menu by “Research by Subject”

• Click on Professional Studies (BPS) – to access suggested research resources

• Click “GO”

Databases – 24/7

Company and business research

Legal research & news

• Click on the name of a database to begin searching

Can I use the databases from home?

jsmith

password

Business and Legal Information:

• Access to business, corporate and legal information

• Different databases will provide different information

• Perform a “Company Dossier” search

• Enter your company name or ticker symbol

• Click Search

: Company Dossier Search

• Click the name of your company to find detailed business information

• Under “Company Type”, note the differences for parent vs. subsidiary, and public vs. private companies

Click here to perform another search

: Company Dossier Search

: Company Dossier Results

• Use the Reports menu to locate additional legal and financial information

• Use the Business search menu to locate different business information

• Select SEC Filings

: SEC Filings

• Enter a company name or ticker symbol to retrieve full text corporate SEC filings

• Use “Select Sources” to search for a specific SEC form

• Limit your searches by time period

: SEC Filings

• Navigate between subject searches by using the tab selections in the red menu

• Click the “Legal” tab to search the Legal Section of the database

: Legal Search

LexisNexis Academic: Federal & State Cases

• Use the Legal Searches menu (on the right) to navigate to different legal search options

• Click on Federal & State Cases

• Enter your legal citations

• Spacing and punctuation are important

• Use the “Select Sources” menu to limit your results to federal or state information

• Click “Search”

: Legal Citation Search

: Legal Citation Results

• Search by litigants

• Only one name required

• You can even search by keywords

: Case Search

LexisNexis Academic: Federal & State Codes

• Use the Legal Searches menu (on the right) to navigate to different legal search options

• Click on Federal & State Codes

LexisNexis Academic: Federal & State Codes

• Enter your keywords

• Use quotation marks for an exact phrase

• Select the correct legal sources

: Results List

• Full text links

• Print, email, save

• Results breakdown

• Editing searches and new searches

• Different portals – business, legal, news

• Full text

• Searching:

• Boolean operators (AND, NOT, OR), phrase searching (“”), truncation (!)

• Natural Language – form of a question

• Save, print, email

: Search Tips

Legal Dictionaries:

• Oxford Dictionary of Law – online through the “Oxford Reference Online” database

• Black’s Law Dictionary – in print in the CGPS Library (KF156 .B53 2004 REF)

Legal Dictionary:• Start at the Databases A to Z page

• Click on the letter “O”

Legal Dictionary: Oxford Reference Online

Click the Law selection

Oxford Dictionary of Law:

Will all of my books and articles be available in the CGPS Library?

Use the Journal Finder Illiad – Document Delivery Create an Illiad Account

Online forms Books are free; $2 per article 48-72 hours from Simpson Library

Go to Simpson and use your EagleOne Card

What if UMW doesn’t have what I need?

Use the Journal Finder Illiad – Interlibrary Loan

Create an Illiad Account Online forms 10 requests free: $2 each beyond 10 1-2 weeks from another Library Delivered to CGPS Library

Need help? Have Questions?

Come to the Library Mondays - Thursdays 1 p.m. -

9 p.m. Fridays 1 p.m. - 7 p.m. Saturdays 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Contact the Library Staff cgpslib@umw.edu 540-286-8025

Set up a Research Appointment pboger@umw.edu 540-286-8066