Buzz
There are many varieties of lined paper, each with its distinct name—'college ruled' being one of them. To tell them apart, a ruler might be necessary.
Before diving deeper, let's add some historical perspective. Paper with horizontal lines printed evenly across its surface is called 'ruled' paper. For centuries, these lines were drawn by hand, but everything changed in 1770. That June, inventor John Tetlow patented a device that the British government described as a 'machine for ruling paper for music and other purposes.' Tetlow, in an interesting turn of events, decided to name the machine after himself.
Since that time, ruled paper has undergone significant changes. In North America, manufacturers generally identify three primary varieties:
The first type of ruled paper is wide ruled, which features large spaces between the lines. These gaps measure about 11/32nds of an inch (roughly 8.7 millimeters), or even wider.
Next, there's medium ruled paper, also known as 'college ruled.' This variety has slightly narrower spaces between the lines, measuring 9/32nds of an inch (7.1 millimeters).
Finally, we have the aptly named narrow ruled paper. If you struggle with small handwriting, this type might not be for you. The lines on narrow ruled paper are separated by just 8/32nds of an inch (roughly 6.35 millimeters).
In general, wide ruled paper is favored by elementary school teachers. It's especially common in kindergarten through third grade classrooms, as young children who are just learning to spell often write large letters, necessitating more space between the lines.
'College ruled' paper gets its name because it's typically used by older students. As children develop, they learn to write smaller letters, numbers, and symbols. By the time they reach high school, many have transitioned from wide ruled to medium ruled paper. This type of paper is found in nearly every college notebook, although some students still prefer wide ruled. Everyone has their own preference.
