A method for determining an effective capacitance of a dielectric material, by forming first and second asymmetrical electrodes entirely within a field of the dielectric material, where the first electrode, the second electrode, and the field of the dielectric material are co-planar, neither the first electrode nor the second electrode are either electrically connected to ground or to each other, applying a first charge Q on the first electrode, measuring a first voltage change V1 on the first electrode, measuring a second voltage change V2 on the second electrode, depositing a second charge Q′ on the second electrode, measuring a third voltage change V3 on the first electrode, measuring a fourth voltage change V4 on the second electrode, calculating a first ground capacitance Cg1 by Cg1=(V2Q′−V4Q)/(V2V3−V1V4), calculating a second ground capacitance Cg2 by Cg2=(V3Q−V1Q′)/(V2V3−V1V4), and calculating an inter-electrode capacitance Cie by Cie=V3Cg1/(V4−V3)=V2Cg2/(V1−V2).