Using Nexis to find newspaper articles

Getting started

• Most national newspapers have websites with free access to the latest headlines and news stories

• A good list is at Online newspapers.com http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/

• But if you need historical materials the website may ask for payment.

• Do not despair ! The LSE Library subscribes to NEXIS

• Access articles and reports from Uk and other newspapers worldwide from 1980 onwards

Accessing LEXIS

• Search for NEXIS on the LSE Library catalogue

• Expand the record and click on the Linked resources field.

• Log in using your LSE network username and password

Using Nexis effectively:

• The main search screen is divided into a number of parts. You need to construct your search terms. Choose the source (newspapers, files) you are going to search. Then choose the dates you want to search

Choosing search terms: tips

• Lexis automatically searches for most regular plural terms eg city would find city, cities, However, it will not automatically find the plural form of words that end in "us" or "is", or other irregular plural forms

• Run separate searches for american and Uk spellings, synonyms

wildcard characters and truncation lets you easily broaden your search terms . Use an exclamation mark (!) to find a root word plus all the words made by adding letters to the end of it.eg advert! Will find advertisements, advertising and adverts .

You can restrict your search terms to headlines, 3 or more mentions ion the text.

Selecting sources: tips

• Select from the drop down list displayed next to the Select Sources Option

• Each of this files contains a large number of individual newspapers. Information on dates is often not clearly provided but most resources are from 1980 onwards.

• Select a file. The screen should reload and the full list of individual newspapers appear with in the box below. Tick the boxes next to the required titles.

UK newspaper sources

• There is a UK newspapers file.• Note that newspapers in this file do not usually

include the current days news. In many cases there is a 24hour embargo

• The UK news file excludes the Financial Times. • To search the FT you must go to the Sources

tab at the top of the screen and search for the Financial times then select it, to add to your search

Restricting your search to a single newspaper

Select an appropriate file e.g. UK newspapers.

A list of the publications within that file will then be displayed. Click on the particular publication that you are interested in. For example, The Daily and Sunday Telegraph. Deselect the general category

Select your date and then run the search

Restricting by date range: tips

• Lexis is so large you will need to restrict by date to get manageable results!

• Choose date between to set up a range.• Unfortunately you cannot browse a paper by

date without entering a subject keyword.• If you need to do this it is often more effect to

become a senate house member and use their proquest UK newspaper database.

Search results

• Lexis does not display images or original page layouts.

• If you require these the LSE Library has access to the Times Digital Archive 1785-1985 and a micofilm copy of the Times M(R1)

• Otherwise copies are available at the british Library see http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/inrrooms/blnewspapers/newsrr.html

Search results: too many results?

• Try restricting adding more specific search terms.

• Combining them using the option within 5 words of each other (ie in the same sentence)]

• Restricting your search to major mentions• Restricting your search to more specific

dates• Smaller numbers of publications

Using your results

• Click on the left handside of the screen to browse results by newspaper title.

• Tick the box next to the article to tag it.

• Then click on the letter symbol of the right hand of the page to email the results (full text arrives as PDF file)

• Click on the disk to download

Search alerts• Set up a search alert so Lexis can tell you when new items

matching you interest are added to the database!• From the Results page, click on the Create Alert (alarm clock

synbol) at the top right hand side of the page.• Name the Alert (the name may be no longer than 255 characters).• Select how often you would like to run the Alert .• Enter an e-mail address to specify where you would like the results

to be sent, • To receive your results in an e-mail, specify your notification and

results format preferences. Note that it automatically selects only Alter me if there are new results.

• Click on the Save button.

Further help

• Consult the Library web pages to book a course http://webdb.lse.ac.uk/infoskills/

• Ask at the Help desk, Library First Floor.

• Email heather Dawson

• H.dawson@lse.ac.uk