One under-utilized function of Westlaw is the ability for the user to set research and result preferences that Westlaw will remember each time the user visits.

Click on the Preferences link on the top left corner of the page. It looks like this:

When the preferences page opens you will see several options on the left side of the page. Most of these will not need adjustment for your research purposes, but you should know the functions they serve.

Location and Pricing
As a paralegal, you probably would not need to alter information regarding the pricing plan for your firm.

Change Client ID
This is where a researcher would enter information regarding a client. This way, Westlaw will be able to provide your firm with accurate billing information. If you start researching on behalf of a different client, you can return here to switch the information. Thus, researchers are able to conduct research for multiple clients during a single session in Westlaw. But remember, if you were actually working on Westlaw at a law firm, at all times after you login someone is being charged.

Document Display
This alters the way the resulting documents from a search are displayed. Feel free to experiment, but the default choices that are already set tend to be the most popular.

Result List Display
This is where you might want to make a change. In the center of the Result List Display dialogue box you will see a choice for how many results to show per page. Westlaw uses a default of 20. But you can change this (up to 50). Since it is much more efficient not to have to continually page back and forth, we recommend changing the maximum number of results per page to 50.

Search
Westlaw allows you to tweak the way you search using this dialogue box.

Print and Download
Here you can choose to personalize the way Westlaw prints your selected documents. Again, the default choices are the most popular, so you may want to leave them as is.

KeyCite
KeyCite is Westlaw's version of Shepard's. They are both validation systems (which, if you are using this early in the program, will be more fully covered later). In other words, once you have found a cite, KeyCite (or Shepard's in Lexis) will tell you whether that case, statute, or other authority is still good law. If it has been overturned, reversed, or invalidated in some other way, KeyCite will provide warning flags to let you know there may be a problem. This dialogue box allows you to adjust the parameters of the KeyCite system, but we recommend you leave the default choices in place.

Alerts
Westlaw has a tool that allows the researcher to be notified via email if a case or statute is affected by a new case. This is especially helpful for currently debated or changing law. This dialogue box allows the researcher to set up proper notification information.

Trail
This is a great tool that allows the researcher to retrace earlier steps taken on Westlaw. After all, at some point every researcher asks him or herself, "How did I get here?" The dialogue box allows you to even have your research trail automatically emailed at the end of each client's session.

After looking at the above Preferences tools, you can start setting up your search page. And remember, you can always come back here to make adjustments later.

Now all you have to do is click on SAVE.