The document discusses analysis of variance (ANOVA), a statistical technique developed by R.A. Fisher in 1920 to analyze the differences between group means and their associated procedures. It can be used when there are two or more samples to study the significance of differences between their mean values. ANOVA works by decomposing the overall variability into different sources and comparing the relative sizes of different variances. It is useful for research in fields like agriculture, biology, pharmacy, and more.