A theoretical and experimental study is made of the electron energy distribution function in molecular nitrogen afterglow plasmas under conditions such that both local and nonlocal effects can control its formation in various energy ranges. It is shown that relative measurements of the electron energy distribution function in the vibrational excitation and de-excitation regions can be used to obtain quantitative information on the absolute values of the corresponding collision cross sections. A method for experimentally identifying the nonlocal formation of the electron energy distribution function in either energy range is proposed and tested.