A comprehensive analysis procedure for analyzing and comparing multiple sets of data to detect hidden discriminatory data patterns. The inventive procedure identifies a best subset of markers for optimal discrimination between two or more sets of data. A point-wise test on two or more sets of data is performed to calculate test statistic values and to generate a statgram, a two- or higher- dimensional map of the test statistic values along the range of data. A threshold is then determined for isolating critical regions of the statgram at each significance level to provide candidate markers. A subset of markers from the candidate markers is then selected to discriminate among the sets of data. The two or more sets of data are classified using the subset of markers.