An effective search strategy is essential if you hope to obtain satisfactory results.  A simplified, generic search strategy might consist of the following steps: 

           1.  Formulate the research question and its scope 
           2.  Identify the important concepts within the question 
           3.  Identify search terms to describe those concepts 
           4.  Consider synonyms and variations of those terms 
           5.  Prepare your “search logic” 

Identify the purpose of the search What do I really need?
http://nuevaschool.org/~debbie/library/research/adviceengine.html

Create a search strategy 

(University of South Carolina Beaufort Library's "Bare Bones"  Internet Tutorial Lesson 6)
http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/lesson6.html

Use Boolean Logic 

(University of South Carolina Beaufort Library's "Bare Bones"  Internet Tutorial Lesson 7 and 8)
http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/lesson7.html

Ed Web has a great tutorial  for taking advantage of Altavista "Seven Steps Toward Better Searching" I highly recommed it, it was demonstrated recently at the Classroom Connect Conference.
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/WebQuest/searching/sevensteps.html

Understand Field Searching

(University of South Carolina Beaufort Library's "Bare Bones"  Internet Tutorial Lesson 9)
http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/lesson9.html

  O t h e r  L i n k s 

Recommended Search Strategy: Search With Peripheral Vision Teaching Library Internet Workshops University of California, Berkeley
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Strategies.html