A framework for use with object-oriented programming systems provides a reusable object oriented (OO) framework for use with object oriented programming systems that provides an information retrieval (IR) shell that permits a framework user to define an index class that includes word index objects and provides an extensible information retrieval system that evaluates a user query by comparing information contained in the user query with information contained in the word index objects that relates to stored documents. The information in word index objects is produced by preprocessing operations on documents such that the documents relevant to the user query will be identified, thereby providing a query result. The information retrieval system user can load documents into the computer system storage, index documents so their information can be subject to a query search, and request query evaluation to identify and retrieve documents most closely related to the subject matter of a user query.