Method and system for retrieving relevant documents from a database

A method for processing a search query uses the results of a search performed on a high quality, controlled database to assess the relevance of documents retrieved from a search of an uncontrolled public database having documents of highly variable quality. The method includes the steps of parsing the search query and then searching the authoritative database to generate authoritative database results. The search query is also used to search the public database, thereby generating public database results. The quality or relevance of the public database results are then quantified on the basis of the authoritative database results, thereby generating a quality index. The results from both the authoritative and the public databases are then ranked on the basis of this quality index.