Information retrieving method and apparatus

Terms are extracted from a document as a retrieval subject, and weights of the respective terms in the document are set. In assigning data to a plurality of retrieving apparatuses in accordance with the weights thus set, weight ranges are determined so as to avoid overlap or omission in terms as subjects of the retrieving apparatuses, and evaluation value ranges are determined according to a given evaluation formula so as to correspond to the respective weight ranges. Searches are performed in descending order of evaluation values that are obtained according to the evaluation formula.