Insight on Westlaw

Those of you who are avid Westlaw UK users will have noticed a new Insight tab now appears on the homepage and has moved the ‘Cases’ tab along.  This may have annoyed a few of you (who out of habit clicked on it expecting to do a case search),  but it is a useful new ‘encyclopaedia’ that analyses legal topics and points you in the right direction of key cases and legislation.

Westlaw say:

Westlaw UK Insight is an ever-evolving and growing online legal encyclopaedia that aims to provide a comprehensive statement of the law in the United Kingdom. Covering England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and delivered via an intuitive topic-based interface, it reflects the way you think. What’s more, it enables you to find solutions quickly, by providing succinct up-to-date, and expert guidance on the law.

You can search it by clicking on the tab or you can include it in a more general search from the box on the homepage.

Like with all Westlaw sections you can search using keywords or use the broad legal topics to browse.  At the bottom of this screen, unlike the other sections, are the latest additions and updates.

The entries themselves are quite straight forward to navigate, starting with an overview and then moving to more detailed analysis of the topic.  Those used to using  Westlaw and other databases may notice that the links to the different parts of the entry are on the right rather than the usual left hand side but other than the page is clear and not overly complicated.

There are the usual links through to cases, legislation and articles available on Westlaw but what is very good about Insight is that the author of the entry is clearly indicated.  There is a link to information about the author as well as contact details which allows for more interaction and feedback.

Westlaw have indicated that more topics are being added over this year.

If you want more information (or indeed if you want to be an author yourself) then you can click on the ‘More information’ link on the right hand side of the home page.

If you want help using Westlaw or a refresher then you can find information and tutorials on our Libguide or if you contact Kate Jackson at katharine.jackson@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.