Literature search: Simple rules for confronting the unknown.

Literature search forms the foundation of most clinical decisions about patient management and is the starting point for all bedside/bench-side research. Despite being an essential tool in the armamentarium of all medical professionals and researchers, literature search remains a challenge, often resulting in frustration and waste of time (and resources). This article aims to provide a beginner's guide to information seekers for a step-wise approach to literature search on web-based databases.