Abstract: Alkyl ketene dimer is widely used at home and abroad as paper sizing agent, and the study of its analysis methods is of great significance for identifying the types of paper and inferring the age of paper formation. Based on this, the research status of alkyl ketene dimer in paper was introduced, and the research progress of analysis methods of alkyl ketene dimer in paper was reviewed from solvent extraction, chromatography, spectrometry, mass spectrometry and their combined techniques, and their prospects were discussed in order to provide a reference for the research of paper composition examination in the field of forensic science (28 ref. cited).