ID Tool Structure
The ID Tool Structure of an IdentificationTool currently supports the following values:
- Dichotomous = single-access key with branching limited to two leads
- Polytomous = single-access key with at least occasionally more than two leads
- Multi-access = the sequence of characters or leads can be freely chosen by the user
- Multi-entry = a free choice of multiple characters is available in a first step, followed by a browsing or single-access key structure
- Browsing = descriptions or images arranged in a long sequence like field guides
Extensions to this list are possible but require a discussion and following consensus.
Definitions
Single-access key: An identification key that functions like a printed dichotomous or polytomous key. It may use a static display method or interactive user interface techniques. The sequence of questions (couplets, leads) is fixed by the creator of the key.
Multi-access identification key: Here the sequence of characters (“questions”, “couplets”) can repeatedly be freely selected by the user. The process of answering one or several character questions is followed by a report of the remaining taxa and can be repeated until the identification result is obtained.
Multi-entry identification key: Here a freely selectable choice of (usually of several) characters (“questions”, “couplets”) is available in a first step (typically using an interactive form providing a subset of all characters). The process can, however, not be repeated and the identification continues using a (dynamically generated) single-access key.
Value combinations
If several categories apply to your tool, you may provide a list for them. To simplify errors processing, we currently ask to provide them in the following order:
- dichotomous; polytomous
- dichotomous; browsing
- dichotomous; polytomous; browsing
- polytomous; browsing
- multi-access; dichotomous
- multi-access; polytomous
- multi-access; browsing
- multi-access; dichotomous; browsing
- multi-access; polytomous; browsing
- multi-entry; dichotomous
- multi-entry; polytomous
- multi-entry; browsing
- multi-entry; dichotomous; browsing
- multi-entry; polytomous; browsing
