Finding what you are looking for on the world wide web can sometimes be overwhelming.  When you are searching you want to find the perfect sight immediately, you want to hit the BULLSEYE!  Below are a list of tips and strategies to make your searches  more effective.
 

Brainstorm appropriate keywords and be specific about the the words that you would find in your search.
        Example:  Egyptian ruler could also be pharaoh    shelters could also be homes

Use quotation marks around words that you want to be searched exactly as is or as a phrase.
         Example:  "little miss muffet"

List synonyms or terms that are similar by using the word  OR
         Example:  planets OR solar system

Learn what "stop words" a search engine uses.  Stop words are samll words that the search engine does not stop for regardless of whether they are in a phrase or not.  Stop words can vary depending on what search engine you are using.
        Example:  a, about an, and are, as, by, from

Search using lower case letters to find both upper case and lower case versions.
         Example:  president will give you both president and President

Exclude or include words in your search by using the + and  -  signs.
         Example: +cowboys +wild west' -football -dallas

You should always  put your most important words first in your search!
         Example:  anorexia and bulimia eating disorders
 

Extend your search by using the asterisk to look for variations in spelling and word form.
        Example:  librar* returns library, libraries, librarian, etc.