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ordination method
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[spatial analysis, statistics]
A type of exploratory data analysis complementary to data clustering in multivariate analysis. Ordination orders objects that are characterized by values on multiple variables (multivariate objects) so that similar objects are near each other, and dissimilar objects are farther from each other. Relationships between the objects, on each of several axes (one for each variable), are then characterized numerically or graphically. Examples of ordination methods include principal components analysis (PCA), correspondence analysis (CA), and so forth.