A simple aqueous sol-gel route has been refined to prepare yttrium-doped barium titanate powders. Thermal decomposition of the fabricated gel was studied by means of DTA/TGA measurements. The precursor gel was intermediate calcined at 600 degrees C, and the final synthesis products were characterized by IR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The barium titanate obtained from the calcination of the gel at 1300 degrees C was a tetragonal phase, and showed a positive temperature coefficient of resistivity (PTCR) effect which depends on sample cooling rate during the final heat treatment.