1. A method for combining types of items of information from a plurality of text-based information sources in a plurality of formats, into items in a database, with at least one information source including unstructured written text and structured text, and at least one item of information including one or more attributes, with each attribute having at least one value, the method comprising the steps of: for each information source, extracting and organizing items of information from the structured and unstructured written text of the information source, to generate an index plan, with each item in the plan organized as a hierarchic data structure representing the item's attributes, their values and the locations of the text in the information source supporting those values; and researching and consolidating the items of information in the index plan into items in the database to avoid duplication of items in the database.