How journalists can mine the LexisNexis database for stories
Research is the starting point for developing story ideas, gathering information, and fact-checking. And LexisNexis, a subscription-based database of legal, business, government, high-tech, and news articles, is a research goldmine for journalists.
LexisNexis contains many articles that are not available through a basic Internet search because they are behind a paywall. But with millions of articles housed in the LexisNexis database, it is easy for journalists to get lost.
Investigative reporter Brad Hamilton shared how to use and customize the database to source stories, find unexpected story angles, and identify and reach potential sources in a recent Institute webinar.
Here are a few of the tips he shared:
- Start your search on the “Power Search” page. The database is vast, so consider a word or a phrase that you think might be in an article. Use quotation marks around the phrase (like “global warming”). Use connecter words like “AND” “OR” “AND NOT.” (for example: “Donald Trump” AND “Trump Tower”) The “Power Search” screen includes a helpful box on the right of the screen suggesting additional connector words to help narrow a search.
- Use the “Index Terms” box as a kind of search-optimization tool. So for example, think about how you would describe the types of articles you are looking for (i.e. “politics,” “oil and gas industry,” “entertainment” or “legal matters”) and put that into the box to narrow the search. The database also gives hints of terms to use under the index box that reads: “Browse: Subject, Industry, Company, People, Geography.” “This is how LexisNexis is identifying how much an article relates to a subject,” says Hamilton.
- Use the “Date” box if you are thinking about a specific time period you are looking at or when a story was published to further refine your search. “I find this date field fantastic,” said Hamilton. “If you are trying to identify big anniversaries or big stories that happened on your beat 10 years ago” using that feature can help generate story ideas.
- Use the “Sources” box for specific types of information, such as newspapers, magazines, and trade journals. This feature can also be used to find the transcripts from most major and local broadcast television and radio news programs, as well as transcripts of congressional hearings.
- Also under the “Sources” tab: If you are looking for local stories on a topic, search the “Newsbank” tab, which is a collection of small weekly and daily newspapers.
While LexisNexis is a fee-based database service, some newsrooms provide access to staff. Most public libraries provide access to their communities, and National Press Club members have free access to the LexisNexis database at the library located at the NPC as part of their annual membership.
Photo by Helayne Seidman
About the speaker
Brad Hamilton is a reporter, writer, and editor with more than 30 years of experience in investigative journalism and features. He serves as editor-in-chief at The Hatch Institute (formerly the Contently Foundation), a nonprofit dedicated to investigative journalism.
About the National Press Club Journalism Institute
The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. As the non-profit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute powers journalism in the public interest.
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