7. A computer-readable medium containing processor-executable instructions for ranking items in a distinguished query result produced for a distinguished query, by a method comprising: receiving a rating set of queries, each query in the rating set specifying one or more terms; for each query in the rating set, generating a query result identifying one or more items satisfying the query; allowing a user to select one or more of the items identified in the query result; and for items selected from the query result, for terms specified by the query, determining an adjustment factor indicating the level of effort necessary to effectuate selection of the item, the level of effort associated with selecting an item being based on an amount of effort required to select the item relative to amounts of effort required to select other items identified in the query result, wherein if a greater level of effort is required to select an item, a higher rating is associated with the item; adjusting a rating score corresponding to the combination of the selected item and the term specified by the query by the determined adjustment factor; and storing the rating score.
7. A computer-readable medium containing processor-executable instructions for ranking items in a distinguished query result produced for a distinguished query, by a method comprising: receiving a rating set of queries, each query in the rating set specifying one or more terms; for each query in the rating set, generating a query result identifying one or more items satisfying the query; allowing a user to select one or more of the items identified in the query result; and for items selected from the query result, for terms specified by the query, determining an adjustment factor indicating the level of effort necessary to effectuate selection of the item, the level of effort associated with selecting an item being based on an amount of effort required to select the item relative to amounts of effort required to select other items identified in the query result, wherein if a greater level of effort is required to select an item, a higher rating is associated with the item; adjusting a rating score corresponding to the combination of the selected item and the term specified by the query by the determined adjustment factor; and storing the rating score. 8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7 wherein determining each adjustment factor includes increasing the adjustment factor for items occurring in the query result before the selected item.