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Using LexisNexis AlaCarte!™ |
LexisNexis AlaCarte!™ in the LexisNexis® Total Research system provides easy-to-use search templates that give you access to the LexisNexis services with the convenience of your credit card. No subscription is required. You can quickly search more than 20,000 sources and almost four billion items in news, business news, business research, and "Hot Topics" (current headline news). There's no charge for searching; you pay only for the items you view.
Click on the links below for more information about the LexisNexis AlaCarte! options.
Have a question? For quick answers, see the FAQ link for a the list of frequently asked questions and their answers.
For tips on searching, see 10 Tips to Fine Tune Your Search Results with Advanced Search.
Searching using LexisNexis AlaCarte!
To search using the LexisNexis AlaCarte! search pages, follow these easy steps:
- (Optional) Enter your user ID and password. (First-time users need to complete a brief registration process.)
Note: You will be prompted to log in or register when you're ready to view your results, so you can search for free until then if you want to.
- Select the search tab for the type of information you want to search. You can select from:
- Research — This tab allows you to search information about current news topics, people, countries, etc.
- Business Intelligence — This tab allows you to search information about a specific company, industry, company financial information, corporate officers, etc.
- Search by Source — This tab allows you to find a specific source, to combine several sources to search, or to browse through the available sources.
- Hot Topics — This tab allows you to find information on current top news stories.
- Enter your search terms using the search form. There are two search forms: Simple and Advanced.
- The Simple Search option provides a search term entry box, with a date range option. If the Simple Search form is displayed, click the "Use Advanced Search" link to enter additional search criteria.
- The Advanced Search option lets to enter additional search criteria. If the Advanced Search form is displayed, click the "Use Simple Search" link to simplify your search.
- When the results page appears, you can review this information (document titles, TV News Video clips, publication names and dates) at no charge.
To purchase an item:
- Click the "View Now…" button to view the item and be charged for it immediately.
Note: If you have not yet registered or logged in, you must do so prior to viewing the document. To register, you must enter your credit card information. Your credit card will be charged when you view the document.
--OR--
- Check the box to the left of the items you want, then click "Add to Cart" to add all the checked items to your shopping cart. You will be charged for the items in your cart when you check out or sign off.
- To review or remove items from your shopping cart, click "Proceed to Checkout" link.
- To remove an item from your cart, click the Remove button next to the item you want to remove.
- When you have selected all the items you wish to view, click the "Proceed to Checkout" link to review your order.
Using Simple Search
To begin searching, select the search tab for the type of information you want to search:
- Research
- Information about current news topics, people, countries, etc., from sources including newspapers, journals, TV news.
- Business Intelligence
- Information about a specific company, industry, company financial information, corporate officers, etc.
- Search Specific Source(s)
- Choose your own combination of sources to search.
You can use either the simple search form displayed when you first select a tab or click the "Use Advanced Search" link at the bottom of the form to use an advanced form. The advanced form allows you to enter more specific search criteria. See Using the Advanced Search Form below. (To return to the simple search form, click the "Use Simple Search" link.)
Follow these basic steps to search:
- Enter your search terms (see "Entering Search Terms" below).
- Select a date range from the drop-down list next to "Specify Date Range", if desired.
- Enter additional criteria if you are using an advanced search form.
- Click "Free Search".
- Information about the sources being searched
- Click the Information icon
(when available) to see a list of the sources being searched and the date ranges for those sources.
- Cost for these Items
- The "Cost for these Items" box displays the total charge for the items currently in your shopping cart. The items include those you have viewed during this session using the "View Now…" link (for which you have already been charged) and those you have added to your cart, but have not yet viewed and have not been charged for.
Use the "Proceed to Checkout" link to review or remove items from your cart. When you remove items from the cart, the adjusted charges are displayed in the "Cost for these Items" box when you return to a search form.
Entering Search Terms
Use the textbox on the form to enter your search terms in plain English — without using any special terms. Use terms that you might use when describing your research topic to another person.
For example, to find articles about efforts in the fast food industry to use recyclable packaging, you might use this search:
What efforts has the fast food industry made to use recyclable packages?
Or, you can use just the most important terms and phrases, in any order.
recycle package fast food
When you have entered your search terms and completed any additional fields, click "Free Search".
Note: See 10 Tips to Fine Tune Your Search Results with Advanced Search for more information. Some of the connectors may be used on the simple search form, if desired.
Using the Advanced Search Form
The Advanced Search Form is available under each search tab by clicking "Use Advanced Search". The fields on the lower half of the form vary for the different types of search; these advanced search fields allow you to search such things as:
- Specific terms or phrases
- Information about specific companies or people
- Specific publications, titles or authors
- Specific sources
To begin searching, select the search tab for the type of information you want, click the "Use Advanced Search" link to access the Advanced Search form, then complete the form as follows.
Note: See 10 Tips to Fine Tune Your Search Results with Advanced Search.
- Choose your source(s) from the "Source Selection" checkboxes.
- Enter your search terms in one of the fields described below.
Note: The Hot Topics tab category names and order of items differ, but the basic fields and their functions are the same.
- Guided Search
- The following options comprise the Guided Search option:
- with all the words
- Only items containing all the words you enter in this field will be retrieved.
- with the exact phrase
- Only items containing the exact phrase you enter in this field will be retrieved.
- with at least one of the words
- Items containing any one of the words you enter in this field will be retrieved.
- without the words
- Your results will not contain items that have any of the words you enter in this field.
- Boolean Search
- Enter search terms separated by connectors in this field.
- Field Search
- Field information may differ per tab type. Examples of field information include:
- Company Name
- Industry Name
- News about this Country
- Person - First Name
- Person - Last Name
- News about this Organization
- With This Author
- With This Title
- From This Publication
- Assignee
- Inventor
- Enter a date range using one of the options below.
- Specify Date Range
- Select a specific date range from the drop-down list.
- Custom Date Range
- Enter a date in the From and To fields in mm/dd/yyyy format.
- Click "Free Search".
Note: See 10 Tips to Fine Tune Your Search Results with Advanced Search.
- Information about the sources being searched
- Click the Information icon to see a list of the sources being searched with each form and the date ranges for those sources.
- Cost for these Items
- The "Cost for these Items" box displays the total charge for the items currently in your shopping cart. The items include those you have viewed during this session using the "View Now…" link (for which you have already been charged) and those you have added to your cart, but have not yet viewed and have not been charged for.
Use the "Proceed to Checkout" link to review or remove items from your cart. When you remove items from the cart, the adjusted charges are displayed in the "Cost for these Items" box when you return to a search form.
Finding a Specific Source
Follow these steps to choose your own combination of sources using the Find and Browse sub-tabs.
- Click the "Search by Source" tab.
- Use the Find and Browse sub-tabs to look for the sources you want to search.
- Find — To find a specific source:
- Click the Find sub-tab, if necessary.
- Type the name or keyword of the source you want to search.
- Click Find.
- Browse — To find out whether a specific source is available:
- Click the Browse sub-tab.
- Choose the letter that your source name starts with.
- If necessary, scroll through the list of sources to find the one you want.
- Click the "Add" link next to the source you want to search to add it to the "Specify Sources" tray. You may add up to 10 sources to this tray.
- Use the "Remove" and "Clear Source List" links to change the sources being searched, if desired.
- Click "Search These Sources" to display a search form.
- Use the "Modify Sources" and "Clear All Sources" links to change the sources being searched, if desired.
- Enter your search criteria and click "Free Search".
Browsing Your Search Results
When your search is complete, you'll see a list of items containing your search terms. To select items, choose one of these options:
- Click the "View Now…" link next to an item to order it. When you click the link, the cost is displayed and you can either order the item or cancel the transaction.
- Use the Cart to choose items to be viewed later.
- Click the checkbox next to the item to be added to your cart.
- Click "Add to Cart" to add the checked items to your cart.
- To de-select all selected items, click "Clear All".
A running total of your selections is shown in the "Total Items" area at the top of the form. The items include those you have viewed during this session using the "View Now…" link (for which you have already been charged) and items you have added to your cart, but have not yet viewed and have not been charged for.
- You can click "Proceed to Checkout" at any time to see a total of your charges or to remove items from your cart.
- When you have finished selecting items from the list, click the "Finish Checkout" link to complete your order.
Selecting a TV News Video Clip
If your results include TV News Video, click the "TV News Video" results tab to review the video clip(s) that contain your search term(s). The APTN summary or closed caption text on the right will highlight your search term(s) and provide context for the content of each clip. Review the text carefully before clicking the "View Now…" link. Once you click that link, your credit card will be charged.
Viewing a TV News Video Clip
You may view each clip just once for the purchase price; however, you may view the closed caption text free of charge for 90 days.
Each TV News Video clip is up to 7 minutes long and is divided into 1-minute segments. Click the highlighted thumbnail and press Play to start viewing the clip from that point, or click another thumbnail to view the closed caption text for that minute of the clip, review the text to make sure this is the video you want, then click Play to start viewing the clip from that point. Once you have finished viewing the clip, you will not be able to view it again. You may, however, purchase additional views for $3.00 by clicking the "Purchase More Viewings" link.
Example:
If you click on the thumbnail for minute 4 of a 7-minute video clip and click Play, you will only see minutes 4–7 of the video — not minutes 1–3. Once you have completed viewing the clip, you will not be able to return to minutes 1–3 or view minutes 4 7 again without purchasing additional views.
Note: You may notice references to APTN or APTN summary; APTN stands for Associated Press Television News, the international television division of The Associated Press. For more information, click here.
Editing a Search
You can edit your search criteria by clicking the "Edit Search" link on your results page.
Starting a New Search
You can start a new search by clicking the "New Search" link on your results page.
Saving a Search
You can save a search to run in the future by clicking the "Save Search" link on your results page, then entering a "Search Name" for your search and clicking Save.
To run the search later, click "My AlaCarte!" on the top navigation bar and select "My Searches". Your saved searches are listed; click Execute next to the search you want to run. You will not be charged for running the search, but only for the items you view.
Completing Your Purchase
While you are browsing your results, you can use the "Proceed to Checkout" link to view items you currently have marked for order or to remove items from your cart. To remove items, click "Proceed to Checkout" and then click the Remove link next to the item you want to remove.
- Proceed to Checkout
- Click "Proceed to Checkout" to see the items you have selected during this session and their associated charges or to delete items from your shopping cart.
- Finish Checkout
- Click the "Finish Checkout" button to review the charges for the items you have selected during this session and to complete your order.
When you have completed your order, you will receive an electronic receipt via email; we recommend that you print or file a copy of this receipt for your records.
My AlaCarte!
Click My AlaCarte! on the top navigation bar to access billing information, such as your name, address, credit card number and so on.
- My Account
- Displays your personal, billing, and other information. Use this to change or maintain your account information.
- My Cart
- Lists the items you have selected but have not yet purchased.
- My Docs
- Lists all the items you have purchased in the last 90 days using LexisNexis AlaCarte!. You may view these items at no additional charge. Note that video clips may not be reviewed, but the closed caption text associated with the clip may.
- My Orders
- Lists the items and charges for all LexisNexis AlaCarte! purchases within the last 90 days.
- My Searches
- Lists your saved searches. For information on saving searches, see Saving a Search.