Abstract: Techniques and tools described herein provide mechanisms for displaying information that is contextually related to a search query. Using these techniques and tools, a user can lookup and discover a person or other entity from contextually related information. For example, if the user submits a search query on the title of a song (e.g., “Janie's got a gun”), then, in addition to a variety of documents related to the title of the song, the user may be presented with information about a related entity such as “Aerosmith” (e.g., the band that sings the song). In this way, the techniques and tools provide mechanisms that identify information that is not directly related to the search query, but that is information the user may find useful or interesting based on context of the search query.

Abstract: A search query that includes a first spelling of a term is received. A second spelling of the term is generated. A first set of items that are associated with the first spelling of the term is accessed, and a second set of items that are associated with the second spelling of the term is accessed. A comparison is performed between the first set to the second set. A determination is made as to how to respond to the search query based, at least in part, on the comparison. The response may include a suggested search query that includes the second spelling of the term. The second spelling may be a suggested spelling correction or an alternative spelling. The response may include search results that are relevant to a search query that includes the first spelling of the term, the second spelling, or both the first and second spelling.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for generating search results that include, instead of or in addition to the traditional abstract links, other links to content that the user of a search engine may consider helpful. These other links are referred to herein as “non-traditional abstract links”. In general, the search engine generates non-traditional abstract links that attempt to anticipate the “next move” by the search engine user. By selecting a non-traditional abstract link from the abstract of a matching resource, the user is able to navigate from the search result listing directly to locations other than the top of a matching resource.

Abstract: Techniques and tools described herein provide mechanisms for displaying information that is contextually related to a search query. Using these techniques and tools, a user can lookup and discover a person or other entity from contextually related information. For example, if the user submits a search query on the title of a song (e.g., “Janie's got a gun”), then, in addition to a variety of documents related to the title of the song, the user may be presented with information about a related entity such as “Aerosmith” (e.g., the band that sings the song). In this way, the techniques and tools provide mechanisms that identify information that is not directly related to the search query, but that is information the user may find useful or interesting based on context of the search query.

Abstract: When a client application, such as a web browser, is used to navigate documents, search engine data, additional navigation data, and other metadata can be displayed to the user within the client application. Navigation data is logged and recorded as users transition from one document to another in in the client application. The recorded navigation data is analyzed and refined in order to identify navigation trends among users. The navigation trends are used to define associations between documents. The resulting document associations can be displayed to the user as the user navigates documents. Moreover, the displayed associations can be dynamically updated as a user transitions from one document to another.

Abstract: A search query that includes a first spelling of a term is received. A second spelling of the term is generated. A first set of items that are associated with the first spelling of the term is accessed, and a second set of items that are associated with the second spelling of the term is accessed. A comparison is performed between the first set to the second set. A determination is made as to how to respond to the search query based, at least in part, on the comparison. The response may include a suggested search query that includes the second spelling of the term. The second spelling may be a suggested spelling correction or an alternative spelling. The response may include search results that are relevant to a search query that includes the first spelling of the term, the second spelling, or both the first and second spelling.

Abstract: A search query is received from a requestor. A results set is determined for the search query. Additional items that are contextually related to the search query are determined. In one aspect, the additional items relate to brand identifiers of sponsors that are contextually related to the search query. A web page is formed containing the result set items and the additional items. The result set items are presorted in a first alignment relative to each other. The first alignment may be a vertical alignment or a horizontal alignment. The additional items are presented in the first alignment relative to the result items, and in a second alignment relative to each other. The second alignment is the other of a vertical alignment and a horizontal alignment. The web page is transmitted to the requestor in response to the search query.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for generating search results that include, instead of or in addition to the traditional abstract links, other links to content that the user of a search engine may consider helpful. These other links are referred to herein as “non-traditional abstract links”. In general, the search engine generates non-traditional abstract links that attempt to anticipate the “next move” by the search engine user. By selecting a non-traditional abstract link from the abstract of a matching resource, the user is able to navigate from the search result listing directly to locations other than the top of a matching resource.