108:, interactive keys. The user of an interactive key may select or enter information about an unidentified specimen in any order, allowing the computer to interactively rule out possible identifications of the entity and present the user with additional helpful information and guidance on what information to enter next. Full-featured interactive keys may readily be equipped with images, audio, video, supplemental text, much-simplified language in conjunction with technical language and
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With paper-based dichotomous keys, the discovery of a new species renders the key incomplete; interactive keys are easily updated by adding information for newly discovered species and releasing computer files through the internet.
61:"Multi-entry" keys allow the free choice of characters only in the first step, whereas in a typical multi-access key the choice of characters used for identification can be repeated multiple times (reducing the number of remaining
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Alternative terms used for multi-access keys are "random-access key", "multi-entry key", "polyclave", "matrix key", "tabular key", "synoptic key". Some of these terms should be avoided in this sense, however:
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were used. Holes or notches in these cards would allow the user to choose cards based on characters observed in a specimen until only one card remained, yielding a tentative identification.
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Interactive multi-access keys are a high-tech descendant of polyclaves ("card keys"). Historically various styles of encoding features of species (such as flower color) on
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The
Southern Rocky Mountain Interactive Flora (SRMIF) and factors correlated with recognition of plants and mammals. University of Northern Colorado, Ph. D. Thesis.
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Multi-access keys largely serve the same purpose as single-access (dichotomous or polytomous) keys, but have many advantages, especially in the form of
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steps. A multi-access key enables the user to freely choose the characteristics that are convenient to evaluate for the item to be identified.
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each time). The single step of selecting one or multiple criteria is followed by a dichotomous key for the
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WATTLE Acacias of
Australia Lucid Web Player (multi-access key for identifying Australian Acacias)
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for interactive keys are currently available, some of which are truly multi-access, and some not.
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and opposed to diagnostic keys arranged solely for the convenience of identification.
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The term "synoptic key" has an older definition, defining it as a key reflecting
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Fig. 19.6 in
Winston, J. 1999. Describing Species. Columbia University Press.
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to assist the user with understanding of both entities and features.
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Programs for interactive identification and information retrieval
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Winston, J. 1999. Describing
Species. Columbia University Press.
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Lucid multi-access key: Weeds of
Australia Identification Tool.
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The terms "tabular key" and "matrix key" are best limited to a
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Dallwitz, M.J., Paine, T.A. and
Zurcher, E.J. 2000 onwards.
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Museum
Victoria Delta keys to Squat Lobster Identification
158:(because they become environmental weeds in waterways)
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identification keys) of requiring a fixed sequence of
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Pankhurst, R. J. 1991. Practical
Taxonomic Computing.
146:(917 species/subspecies taxonomy as of December 2009.
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Queensland
Government. (1021 species, 55 characters)
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which overcomes the problem of the more traditional
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A comparison of interactive identification programs
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Lucid Online Player - EUCLID Eucalypts of
Australia
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76:presentation format of multi-access keys.
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245:Principles of interactive keys
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284:Dallwitz, M.J. 2000 onwards.
271:Dallwitz, M.J. 1996 onwards.
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156:Aquarium plants of the world
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69:remaining after this step.
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175:collectionseducation.org
81:taxonomic classification
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30:identification key
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178:. Retrieved
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94:punch cards
38:dichotomous
180:2024-01-12
163:References
110:hyperlinks
100:Advantages
42:polytomous
299:Category
127:Examples
22:medicine
88:History
74:tabular
67:species
18:biology
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28:is an
189:Notes
220:ISBN
63:taxa
24:, a
40:or
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16:In
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