Anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) thin films, containing hexagonally ordered nanopores, are widely used as templates for fabricating a large number of zero and one- dimensional functional nanostructures such as: nanodots, nanowires and nanotubes. The localized pore temperature developed due to the heat generation phenomenon during anodization plays a key role in the growth morphology of the nanoporous structure. The influence of temperature on the electrochemical process of anodization is generally evaluated by considering the electrolyte temperature, while little importance is given to the localized electrode temperature. In the present work, nanoporous alumina templates were prepared using a two step anodization process with oxalic acid as electrolyte under different bath temperatures and anodizing potentials. We report a novel approach to measure the in situ anode temperature during the anodization process that uses a Pt thin film Resistance Temperature Detector sensor which is deposited on partially fabricated alumina through anodization. The in situ anode temperature has been recorded at different anodization conditions and their contribution to the rise in the anode temperature is presented. Our results indicate that Joule heating is a major source of heat developed during the anodization (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.