PURPOSE: To provide a document retrieving method which can effectively designate its retrieving range.

CONSTITUTION: An instruction input means inputs the retrieving conditions through the reception of the retrieving conditions 1 and also inputs the retrieving parameter through the reception of the retrieving parameter 2. A list of conditions is shown on a display means 3 based on the input retrieving parameter. At the same time, a document attribute list is also shown on the display means 4. A retrieving range is narrowed down on the list of conditions through designation of the retrieving range 5, and the document data are read out of a storage means in a range designated by the reading 6 of the document data. Then the document data are shown on the display means 8 based on the operating conditions received by the reception of a retrieving operation 7.