A lead dioxide anode doped with the praseodymium was prepared by a simple method of cyclic voltammetry (CV). Then the major work focused on the investigation of the different electrochemical performance of praseodymium doped lead dioxide anode by CV method and coelectrodeposition (CD) method. The spectral methods and electrochemical measurements were applied to analyze the physicochemical properties of the Ti/PbO2-Pr2O3 anodes prepared by the two methods. The XRD and XPS showed the Pr2O3 was successfully doped into the PbO2 film by CV method. Comparative studies between the two doped anodes indicated that the Ti/PbO2-Pr2O3 (CV) anode had a larger surface, a better stability and exhibited a longer service life. The experiments of degradation methyl orange as a model dye wastewater suggested that comparing with Ti/PbO2-Pr2O3 (CD) anode, Ti/PbO2-Pr2O3 (CV) anode had excellent electrocatalytic performance and low energy consumption. Thus, the CV modification method should be considered as a simple and promising modification method for the rare earth elements doped on the surface of many other anodes. (C) 2012 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.057302jes] All rights reserved.