Paper ruling

Ruled paper (or lined paper) is writing paper printed with lines as a guide for handwriting. The lines often are printed with fine width and in light colour and such paper is sometimes called feint-ruled paper. Additional vertical lines may provide margins or act as tab stops or create a grid for plotting data, for example graph paper (squared paper or grid paper) where horizontal and vertical lines divide the page into squares.

Lines on ruled paper provide a guide to help users keep their writing or drawing consistent with a predetermined set of rules. The ruling layout is not determined by the paper size but by the purpose, style of handwriting or the language used. Many different line layouts support handwriting, calligraphy, plotting data on graphs, musical notation or help teach students to write in a particular language or script. The following are common examples:

Regional standards exist for ruling layouts, particularly for academic or government clerical purposes.

Elementary students use Tianzigezhi ruled paper.

In order to foster handwriting discipline, a type of ruling known as Seyès ruling is used on paper in schools. Heavy horizontal lines are printed 8 mm (appx. 5/16 in) apart, with three lighter lines 2 mm (appx. 5/64 in) apart between each pair of heavy lines. Heavy vertical lines are spaced 8 mm (appx. 5/16 in) apart, beginning 16 mm (appx. 5/8 in) from the left-hand edge of the page. These sheets of paper are generally known as grands carreaux (large tiles) as opposed to the petits carreaux (small tiles) which are 5x5mm. Seyès ruled paper is available in single sheets (copies simples) or joined double sheets (copies doubles) which are sometimes preferred for exams, being easier to handle.

DIN 16552:1977-04 (“Lines for handwriting”) specifies the types of ruled paper to be used by school pupils.

Among others, genkō yōshi is a kind of paper for manuscript writing specific to the Japanese language.

New Zealand standard for school stationery, 1984 specifies standards for ruled and unruled paper.

Formats for exercise notebooks are standardised.. School exercise books must use 8 mm spacing between the lines, other ruled paper may use 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm and 9 mm spacing. The paper for cursive writing uses pairs of lines 4 mm apart, with 8 mm between the pairs. They may also have angled lines at 65 degrees to vertical to provide additional guidance. The lines can have gray, blue, green or purple color. The vertical margin line must have red or orange color.

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