The popular “high-electric-field” technique to determine the polar anchoring coefficient W of a nematic–substrate interface requires the simultaneous measurement of the capacitance and optical phase retardation of a liquid crystal cell as a function of applied voltage. We develop a generalized model that makes it possible to eliminate the capacitance measurement. The new technique, called the RV (retardation versus voltage) technique, requires only themeasurement of retardation as a function of applied voltage, and allows for the determination ofW by a linear fit over a prescribed voltage window. The technique is not sensitive to uniformity of the cell thickness, does not require patterned electrodes, and allows for the local probe of thesurface. The value of W obtained by the RV technique is the same as W obtained by the traditional technique.