A modified sol-gel method and $N_2$-plasma treatment were used to prepare bulk and surface doped N-$TiO_2$, respectively. XRD, TEM, UV-vis spectroscopy, $N_2$ adsorption, Elemental Analyzer, Photoluminescence, and XP spectra were used to characterize the prepared $TiO_2$ samples. The N doping did not change the phase composition and particle sizes of $TiO_2$ samples, but increased the visible light absorption. The photocatalytic activities were tested in the degradation of an aqueous solution of a reactive dyestuff, methylene blue, under visible light. The photocatalytic activity of surface doped N-$TiO_2$ prepared by $N_2$-plasma was much higher than that of bulk doped N-$TiO_2$ prepared by sol-gel method. The possible mechanism for the photocatalysis was proposed.