The researchers analyzed how cities in Anhui Province are developing economically by looking at their spatial patterns. They found that the economy in the province shows weak positive connections between different areas, with some regions showing more economic growth than others. By using a method called spatial autocorrelation, they divided the economic development of Anhui Province into five categories based on the local connections between cities and their economic output. The researchers also looked at various factors that influence how cities in the province are developing.