Optimal Search Strategies in Legal Databases: Lexis+

The connectors are read in the following order of priority:

1. or
2. /n, pre/n, not /n
3. /s
4. /p
5. /seg
6. not /seg
7. and
8. and not

When you use multiple number-based connectors (e.g., /n, pre/n, or not /n) in a search, they are processed in numerical order from smallest number to largest number. If you use the same number within a search (e.g., multiple /5 connectors in a search), they are processed left to right in the search, per normal processing order.

You can use parentheses in your search to change the order in which the service reads and processes the connectors.

cat or dog or bird and custody

1. cat or dog or bird = Set 1
2. Set 1 and custody = End result

cat or dog /10 custody /10 contract!

1. cat or dog = Set 1
2. Set 1 /10 custody = Set 2
3. Set 2 /10 contract! = End result

cat or dog /50 custody /10 contract!

1. cat or dog = Set 1
2. custody /10 contract! = Set 2
3. Set 1 /50 Set 2 = End result

cat and dog or bird and custody

1. dog or bird = Set 1
2. cat and Set 1 = Set 2
3. Set 2 and custody = End result

For this one, either dog or bird or both can be in the document. Cat has to be in the document and custody has to be in the document.

(cat and dog) or bird and custody

1. cat and dog= Set 1
2. Set 1 or bird = Set 2
3. Set 2 and custody = End Result

For this one, cat and dog both have to be in the document or just bird. Custody must also be in the document.