Start with specific terms or phrases, and then choose more general terms or use fewer terms if you are unsuccessful. Enclose phrases in quotation marks. This is very effective when using most search engines. Enter proper names with capital letters. Search engines are case-sensitive.
Word order can be important.
Enter your most important concept first. Be aware of ambiguous words. If you don't find what you want in the first twenty-five to thirty hits, start over. Change or modify your search. Learn one or two search engines well.