A　series　of　Ni/CeO2-Al2O3　catalysts　were　prepared　by　the　methods　of　impregnation-precipitation,　hydrothermal　synthesis,　co-precipitation　and　citric　acid　complexation.　The　effects　of　preparation　method　on　the　physical　structures　and　catalytic　performance　of　the　resultant　catalysts　in　partial　oxidation　of　methane　(POM)　were　investigated.　The　fresh　and　spent　catalysts　were　characterized　by　N2　physical　adsorption,　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　temperature-programmed　reduction　by　hydrogen　(H2-TPR),　temperature　programmed　desorption　of　ammonia　(NH3-TPD)　and　thermogravimetry　(TG)　analysis.　The　results　show　that　Ni/CeO2-Al2O3　prepared　by　impregnation-precipitation　method　exhibits　the　lowest　activity　and　selectivity　to　H2　and　CO;　the　highest　catalytic　performance　is　achieved　by　the　catalyst　prepared　through　citric　acid　complexation.　The　Ni/CeO2-Al2O3　catalyst　prepared　by　citric　acid　complexation　has　the　largest　specific　surface　area　and　the　smallest　CeO2　crystals　with　good　dispersion.　Both　Ni　species　and　NiAl2O4　spinel　in　Ni/CeO2-Al2O3　prepared　by　citric　acid　complexation　are　prone　to　being　reduced　to　metal　Ni,　which　can　produce　more　active　sites　for　methane　partial　oxidation　reaction.　There　is　more　acidic　sites　and　deposited　carbon　over　the　catalyst　prepared　by　citric　acid　complexation;　however,　taking　its　high　activity　into　account,　its　stability　is　relatively　high　with　low　carbon　deposition　rate.