The print quality of a ink jet printer is generally affected by three major components of the printing process: printer, ink formulation, and paper. The result of this study indicated that the surface sized paper with oxidized starch and cationic starch differed ink jet print quality in terms of ink spread and black optical density of the print image. Paper properties, like air permeability and siting degree, which may influence the ink jet printing were also measured. It was found that black print quality was controlled by starch level and ionic charge on the paper surface. Cationic surface sizing starch improved black ink jet print quality.