EvalQReason: A Framework for Step-Level Reasoning Evaluation in Large Language Models

TL;DR

EvalQReason introduces a step-level reasoning evaluation framework for LLMs that analyzes reasoning dynamics without human labels, revealing domain-specific differences and improving correctness prediction.

Contribution

The paper presents EvalQReason, a novel framework with algorithms for quantifying LLM reasoning quality through step-level probability analysis, enhancing understanding of reasoning processes.

Findings

CSD features achieve high accuracy in correctness classification

Sequential models outperform classical machine learning approaches

Mathematical reasoning shows clear divergence patterns, medical reasoning less so

Abstract

Large Language Models (LLMs) are increasingly deployed in critical applications requiring reliable reasoning, yet their internal reasoning processes remain difficult to evaluate systematically. Existing methods focus on final-answer correctness, providing limited insight into how reasoning unfolds across intermediate steps. We present EvalQReason, a framework that quantifies LLM reasoning quality through step-level probability distribution analysis without requiring human annotation. The framework introduces two complementary algorithms: Consecutive Step Divergence (CSD), which measures local coherence between adjacent reasoning steps, and Step-to-Final Convergence (SFC), which assesses global alignment with final answers. Each algorithm employs five statistical metrics to capture reasoning dynamics. Experiments across mathematical and medical datasets with open-source 7B-parameter models demonstrate that CSD-based features achieve strong predictive performance for correctness classification, with classical machine learning models reaching F1=0.78 and ROC-AUC=0.82, and sequential neural models substantially improving performance (F1=0.88, ROC-AUC=0.97). CSD consistently outperforms SFC, and sequential architectures outperform classical machine learning approaches. Critically, reasoning dynamics prove domain-specific: mathematical reasoning exhibits clear divergence-based discrimination patterns between correct and incorrect solutions, while medical reasoning shows minimal discriminative signals, revealing fundamental differences in how LLMs process different reasoning types. EvalQReason enables scalable, process-aware evaluation of reasoning reliability, establishing probability-based divergence analysis as a principled approach for trustworthy AI deployment.