Quantitative and Qualitative Research: Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) acts as an extension of ANOVA...

QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
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The Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) acts as an extension of ANOVA in the determination of whether there exist any differences between two or more means of unrelated (independent) groups; the tests specifically account for the adjusted means. Unlike ANOVA, the ANCOVA has an added benefit of allowing a researcher to account for a third variable (or confounding variable) which often is the reason for increased variance and bias. The third confounding variable that could have negative results on a researcher's results is usually called the covariate (Myers, Well, & Lorch, 2010). Therefore, unlike in ANOVA, ANCOVA includes the covariate in its analysis.
Confounding variables (covariates) are usually any other variables that have an effect on a researcher's dependent variable. They act as “extra” independent variables that tend to have a “hidden” effec...