Text searching is achieved by techniques including phrase frequency analysis and phrase-co-occurrence analysis. In many cases, factor matrix analysis is also advantageously applied to select high technical content phrases to be analyzed for possible inclusion within a new query. The described techniques may be used to retrieve data, determine levels of emphasis within a collection of data, determine the desirability of conflating search terms, detect symmetry or asymmetry between two text elements within a collection of documents, generate a taxonomy of documents within a collection, and perform literature-based problem solving. (This abstract is intended only to aid those searching patents, and is not intended to limit the disclosure of claims in any manner.)