1. An exposure method of aligning a plurality of shot areas arranged on a substrate with a predetermined exposure position and transcribing, on said substrate, a pattern formed on a mask through a projection optical system, said exposure method comprising the steps of: (a) measuring coordinates of a plurality of sample shot areas selected from a plurality of shot areas; (b) determining weight coefficients corresponding to said coordinates of said sample shot areas; (c) performing statistical calculation based on said coordinates and said weight coefficients of said sample shot areas which were measured and determining coordinates of a predetermined shot area; (d) controlling the movement of the substrate according to said determined coordinated of said predetermined shot area; and (e) adjusting an imaging characteristic of said projection optical system based on a parameter expressing deformation of said shot areas selected from a plurality of parameters obtained by said statistical calculation.