Method and apparatus for processing a search query for text content items

摘要

A search query apparatus comprises a first query processor (103) which generates a first set of search queries. A first search processor (105) then submits this to a search engine for text content items and a result processor (107) receiving text content item search results for the set of search queries. A cluster processor (109) clusters a plurality of the search results in response to characterising data for the search results. The clustering generates a plurality of clusters of search result text content items. The cluster processor determines a first cluster characteristic for at least one cluster and validation processor (111) generates a search query accuracy measure for the search queries in response to the first cluster characteristic. Based on the clustering, and optionally the accuracy measure, a second query processor (115) can then expand the first set of search queries, e.g. to include other terms of one of the clusters of search results.