1. A method for locating information in documents in a database stored in a memory coupled to a processor, the method being carried out by program steps executed by said processor, including the steps of: (1) receiving a search query including at least one query term; (2) generating at least one hit passage from said documents, said hit passage including at least one hit term corresponding to said at least one query term; (3) for at least a first hit term and a second hit term corresponding, respectively, to at least a first query term and a second query term, determining a first distance between said first and second hit terms and a second distance between said first and second query terms; (4) generating a factor having a magnitude based upon a comparison of said first distance with said second distance; and (5) generating a score for said hit passage incorporating the magnitude of said factor.