PURPOSE: To measure the absolute value of the amount of positioning deviation of a mask by a method wherein the amount of alignment deviation of the mask is measured from the distribution of the measured value of a contact resistance electrically computed by the pattern to be used for each four-terminal resistance measurement.

CONSTITUTION: A plurality of positive patterns are formed on a wafer by changing the distance between a side of the pattern of the diffusion layer 1 drawn on the mask to be used as a reference and the pattern of the contact drawn on the mask to be positioned. A plurality of inverted patterns which are similar to the positive pattern and the position of contact against the diffusion layer 1 is inverted, are formed on the wafer. The resistance value of the contact resistance RC against the distance between a side of the diffusion layer 1 and the contact is measured by a plurality of the positive patterns and the inverted patterns. The measured value of the resistance RC against the distance between a side of the diffusion layer 1 and the contact is made into a graph for every positive pattern and the inverted pattern. The amount of deviation of alignment of the mask is detected from the point of intersection of the resistance distribution straight line of the positive and inverted patterns shown in the graph. As a result, the absolute value of the amount of deviation of positioning deviation of the mask can be measured in a short period in a highly precise manner.