Disclosed is a method and apparatus which are arranged to detect magnitude of correlation between (i) an explanatory variable corresponding to operation data related to an operation made by an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate, and (ii) a response variable corresponding to inspection data related to a result of inspection made to the substrate after the same is exposed, the magnitude of correlation between the explanatory variable and the response variable being detected with respect to each of different combinations of operation data pieces, and also arranged to specify, on the basis of detected correlation magnitudes and with respect to one of the different combinations of operation data pieces, a category of the operation data and the correlation between the explanatory variable and the response variable.