Information retrieval system and method

A system for retrieving and scoring of information from an information source includes a user interface operable to receive one or more search criterion and an importance rate assigned to each of the search criterion. A processor is coupled to the user interface and the information source and is operable to retrieve information from the information source. The system also includes a computer-readable storage medium coupled to the processor. A computer program encoded on the computer-readable storage medium and executable by the processor scores the retrieved information using the search criterion and the importance rates assigned to the search criterion.