8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising using said first document to generate a first search result set comprising two or more documents having one or more indirect citational relationships to said first document and using said determined likelihood or probability of direct citation to rank or order said first search result set.
1. A computer-implemented method for probabilistically quantifying a likelihood or probability that a direct citational relationship exists between a first document and a second document based on one or more observed indirect citational relationships occurring between said first document and said second document, the method comprising: determining by a computer system said one or more indirect citational relationships between said first document and said second document; analyzing by the computer system said one or more indirect citational relationships to determine one or more generational citation counts between said first and second documents at generations higher than said direct first generation citational relationship; applying by the computer system a probability transform function to said one or more determined generational citation counts to determine or probabilistically quantify a relative event probability that said first document directly cites said second document or said second document directly cites said first document; calculating by the computer system a probability value based on the relative event probability that said first document directly cites said second document or said second document directly cites said first document, wherein the applying a probability transform function comprises providing said one or more determined generational citation counts as input predictor variables to a multi-variate regression model, said model being selected and adjusted to determine a relative event probability that said first document directly cites said second document or said second document directly cites said first document based on said one or more determined generational citation counts, wherein the computer system comprises at least a processor and a storage device.