Search engine method and apparatus

An interactive method for searching a database to produce a refined results space, the method comprising: analyzing for search criteria, searching said database using said search criteria to obtain an initial result space, and obtaining user input to restrict said initial results space, thereby to obtain said refined results space. Refining comprises using classifications of the retrieved data items to formulate prompts for the user, asking said user at least one of the formulated prompts and receiving a response thereto; and using responses in conjunction with classification values to exclude some of the results, thereby to provide to the user a subset of the retrieved data items as a query result.