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Rating: 
Summary: Trivial content at an outrageous price
Review: This book is a first for me - it's the first book to which I have ever given a one star rating. Believe me, if I could have given it no stars I would have done so. Judy Long's book is, in every sense of the word, a slight work. It is only a modest xi + 114pp including its index and has generous whitespace and includes plenty of screenshots. Neither the editorial reviews on Amazon nor the book's back cover indicate that the book is aimed at paralegals - but I assume that such is its target market. It covers Westlaw legal research, KeyCite and Westlaw via WestMate - all at a pretty basic level. In terms of basic accuracy and general cover I have no problem with this book. However, I do vigorously question the need for its existence. There is nothing in this book that is not covered as clearly and more comprehensively in West's own publications: Winning Research Skills (170pp), Using WestMate (29pp) and Using Westlaw.com (41pp). However, the one overwhelming advantage the West publications enjoy is that they are FREE to those who are registered as Westlaw users. On the other hand, gentle reader, Ms Long demands $38.95 for the privilege of you reading her inferior product. I understand that West's publications are only available to Westlaw users - however, Ms Long's book assumes that you are a user. Indeed any course, whether for paralegals or law students, using this book would need Westlaw access and therefore could provide the West guides I have mentioned. There are some books out there that really do add value to West's own guides to its products - but this book is not one of those. Perhaps the only people who might have need for a book of this kind would be non-legal casual Westlaw users, e.g. politics or history students. However, even they would be disappointed as their interface with the system would probably be through WestDoc - and this is not dealt with in the book. Anyone contemplating buying this book should think long and hard before blowing good money on it.
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