The aim of the research is to examine the contribution of applying author-generated dichotomous keys (digital key - DDK and print key - DPK) to the quality and durability of the knowledge of eighth grade students about the "Systematic and classifications of plants (Bryophyta, Pteridophyta, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms)", as compared to traditional teaching. The study included 180 eighth grade students from Montenegro (12-13 years old) divided into three groups: E[subscript 1] (where content was learned through DPK), E[subscript 2] (where content was learned through DDK) and K (where content was learned through the verbal-textual method). Dichotomous keys contributed to increasing the quality and durability of the knowledge acquired in comparison to traditional teaching at the cognitive levels of analysis, evaluation and synthesis. DDK contributed to the higher quality and durability of student knowledge in comparison to DPK at the cognitive levels of evaluation and synthesis.