A method and apparatus for defining the scope of a search is described. In one embodiment, user input is received, and the scope is defined, based on the user input, for a search of free-form text for information from any random rows within a tabular structure of source data. In one embodiment, the search is intended for finding, in the free-form text, a sub-set of data fragments that matches information from any single row within the tabular structure of the source data.