1. A computer-readable storage device that stores executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising: receiving a query; calculating scores for a plurality of documents obtained with respect to the received query by comparing terms in said query with terms in said documents; calling a same first function implemented by each of a plurality of domain-based scorers of different types, to determine, without utilizing one or more documents of the plurality of documents, which of said domain-based scorers will contribute and which will not contribute to scoring of said documents in response to the calculation of said scores for the plurality of documents, wherein the same first function is used to determine whether the received query is too vague and will not be scored or is not too vaoue and will be scored, and wherein determining whether the received query is too vague or not too vague is based upon each domain-based scorer using its own set of first criteria for determining whether the received query is too vague or not too vague, each of said domain-based scorers calculating a domain-based score based on features of said documents or of said query that are specific to a substantive field of knowledge after the calculation of the scores for the plurality of documents, said each of said plurality of domain-based scorers implementing its own version of a same second function to calculate the domain-based score of said documents without obtaining said documents again with respect to the received query, wherein the same second function includes receiving document identifiers to identify said documents in a database and returning scores for said documents and using the returned scores as input into an aggregation formula, wherein each domain-based scorer uses its own set of second criteria within the aggregation formula, wherein said same second function of each of the plurality of domain-based scorers utilizes said documents which have already received scores based on the terms in said query to calculate the domain-based scores of said documents; including, on a list, those domain-based scorers that indicate, through said same first function, that they will contribute to scoring of said documents; using a configurable parameter selected based on a different scoring scheme by those ones of said domain-based scorers that are on said list to adjust said scores, whereby adjusted scores of said documents are created by combining the contributions from all of the said domain-based scorers; creating a set of search results based on the adjusted scores of said documents; and presenting said search results to a user.