F value

An F value is a test statistic that has been derived (calculated) from an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) table and is used as a guide, or an indicator, to verify if the variance between groups is significant.  If the calculated F value (from the ANOVA) is close to, or less than, the critical F value (from a table in a book or a software program), then the variance between groups is not considered significant, but rather that the variance could have happened by chance alone.

The ANOVA shown below is one-way with no repeated measures. You will see many other ANOVAs before you have completed you advanced statistics courses.

                                              ANOVA Table