def find_similar_terms(term, coll):
    """ given a query term (string) find related query expansion terms
        params: term: current query term
                coll: candidate expansion dict
        returns [dict] exp_terms = {'term': weight}
    """
    exp_terms = {}
    if coll.get(term) != None:
        e_terms = coll[term]['terms']
        e_weights = coll[term]['weights']
        for eterm, eweight in zip(e_terms, e_weights):
            if eterm != term:  # exclude the current original query term itself
                exp_terms[eterm] = eweight
    else:
        exp_terms[term + "s"] = 0
    return exp_terms