Abstract: In an information assistance system, database records are searched for search results that are exact matches or potential matches with the search request. Matches are identified based upon a confidence measure that is generated for each search result. The confidence measure relates to the likelihood that a responsive record contains the information desired by a user. Each search result of an information assistance search output is then sorted and displayed based upon the relative confidence measure of each search result, from, for example, highest confidence measure to lowest. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a maximum limit and/or minimum limit may be instituted to control the search output. For example, the search output may not be revealed or displayed if the number of search results does not meet the maximum/minimum limit requirement.