Editing Identification key (section)

== Use ==
Identification keys are used in [[systematic biology]] and [[taxonomy]] to [[identification (biology)|identify]] the genus or species of a specimen organism from a set of known [[Taxon|taxa]]. They are commonly used in the fields of microbiology, plant taxonomy, and entomology, as groups of related taxa in these fields tend to be very large.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Winston |first=Judith E. |title=Describing species: practical taxonomic procedure for biologists |date=1999 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0-231-06824-6 |location=New York |pages=367–381 |chapter=Keys}}</ref> However, they have also been used to classify non-organisms, such as birds nests, and in non-biological sciences such as geology.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Voss |first=Edward G. |date=December 1952 |title=The history of keys and phylogenetic trees in systematic biology |journal=Journal of the Scientific Laboratories of Dennison University |volume=43 |pages=1–25}}</ref>{{rp|pp=14–15}} Similar methods have also been used in computer science<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Identification Keys |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |last=Payne |first=R. W. |date=1983 |editor-last=Kotz |editor-first=Samuel |volume=4 |pages=6–10 |isbn=0471055514}}</ref>

A user of a key selects from a series of choices, representing mutually exclusive features of the specimen, with the aim to arrive at the sole remaining identity from the group of taxa.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last1=Thain |first1=M. |title=The Penguin dictionary of biology |last2=Hickman |first2=M. |date=2004 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-0-14-101396-1 |edition=11th |location=London; New York, N.Y |pages=363 |chapter=identification keys}}</ref> Each step in the key employs a ''character'': a distinguishing feature of an organism that is conveniently observable.<ref name=":0" />