A nominally cylindrical surface of a workpiece is sensed by a stylus displaceable radially of an axis of rotation of the surface relative to a support column defining a reference datum so that the stylus follows the cylindrical surface at a given height along the surface. Relative rotation of the workpiece and the stylus about the axis of rotation of the surface is effected and the displacement of the stylus used to determine information relating to the radial form of the surface at that height. These measurements are represented at different heights along the surface so as to determine its cylindrical form. The displacement of the stylus from a given position on the surface at each height before and after rotation of the stylus and workpiece through 180° are measured and the resulting measurements used to compensate for any error or deviation in the reference datum.