Abstract-Effective electromagnetic parameters (EEPs) of periodic structures fabricated mainly by carbonyl iron powders are calculated in this paper. A method of inverting the scattering parameters obtained from simulation software was used. The effect of the absorbent volume ratio and the cycle length on EEPs was studied and analyzed. The correlation of the shapes with EEPs was also researched. The empirical formulas were proposed to calculate EEPs, in which the interaction between two adjacent cells was considered. By using this method, any material could be designed as a periodic structure with controlled EEPs, and the values of EEPs were located between the electromagnetic parameter (EP) of air and that of the original material by a specific rule. The EEPs can be used to design new absorbers as the fundamental data of electromagnetic property of some fresh materials.