Legal Research

Teaching by Showing ? Using Image Editors to Explain Yourself

By Ted Tjaden

I realize we are not likely supposed to promote products here on SLAW but I really, really like both IrfanView and the Microsoft Snipping Tool as revolutionizing the ability to visually explain things in an HTML email (and I realize I am likely behind the curve on this one).

I am a visual learner and like to see things in a picture. Since there is often insufficient time for in-person training, it helps to be able to visually explain to someone in an email where to click on a program or what words to input into the database. Both of the foregoing products are very good for doing just that.

For the screenshots below: imagine your user forgets how to find a statute on Westlaw Canada and then check for “citing references” (to see if the section has been judicially considered). It is fairly simply to do a quick narrative in your email: Input your details and click “Go” – see screenshot 1 below. Then click “Citing references” (highlighted in yellow in screenshot 2), etc.

#1

#2

Like they say, “A picture is worth a thousand words . . . ” (or so I hope).

Full post as published by Slaw.ca on January 28, 2010 (boomark / email).