1. A method of sample analysis, comprising: directing light from a two-dimensional array of examination sites onto a detection area such that dispersed light of known spectral composition from each site falls on the detection area concurrently; assigning a corresponding two-dimensional array of regions of the detection area for detecting spectra from the examination sites based, at least in part, on detection of the dispersed light of known spectral composition from one or more of the examination sites; placing samples into the two dimensional array of examination sites; and obtaining spectral data for each sample based on the two-dimensional array of regions of the detection area wherein the two-dimensional array of regions defines a pair of orthogonal axes, wherein the step of directing light includes a step of dispersing the light to define a spectral axis for the detection area, and wherein the spectral axis is oblique to each of the orthogonal axes.