Information retrieval

A meta search engine (1) receives a query (qT) from a user (U), and submits adapted queries (ql-qn) to n search engines (S1-Sn). The results (RI-Rn) are adapted (R1'-Rn') and combined to provide a result set R'. In parallel, the meta search engine (1) accesses a selected hit matrix (H) populated with values for correspondence of queries ql- qm with web pages pi-pn. These values are the number of 'hits' for pervious searches. The pages (R') retrieved from a row for qT are combined with the search engine (S1-Sn) results to provide a final result but which is ranked according to previous search experience. The hit matrix may be dynamically selected according to a user community. The query (qT) need not exactly match a hit matrix query (q1-qn) as rows can be selected according to similarity to the current query qT with weightings applied.