In a recording apparatus with an ink jet print head which forms dots on a recording sheet by ink jets shot from an array of nozzles, a microcomputer determines whether a printing defect is a light printing defect caused by paper particles and dust adhering to the nozzles or a heavy printing defect caused by the entry of air bubbles into the ink flow paths. The determination is made on the basis of intervals of operating a print recovery button mounted on a chassis of the recording apparatus. For the light printing defect, the computer puts a cap member to the front face of the nozzles of the print head and applies a negative pressure to the nozzles, thereby to reduce the amount of ink emitted from the nozzles. For the heavy printing defect, the computer increases the amount of ink.