1. A computer-implemented method of extracting information from an information source, comprising: accessing strings in the information source; and comparing the strings in the information source with generalized extraction patterns and identifying strings in the information source that match at least one generalized extraction pattern, the generalized extraction patterns including words and wildcards, wherein the wildcards denote that at least one word in an individual string can be skipped in order to match the individual string to an individual generalized extraction pattern.