Did you know that AUT postgraduate research students have access to hundreds of methodological training videos through the CARMA Video Library?
CARMA (the Consortium for the Advancement of Research Methods and Analysis) is based out of Texas Tech University, and brings together hundreds of experts to provide world-class training on research methods. There are 250+ recorded lectures and panel sessions from internationally recognised methods scholars, covering everything from qualitative coding to structural equation modelling.
AUT’s institutional licence covers you to watch the videos in the CARMA library (available 24/7). The subscription also includes access to other materials like Topic Area Workshops, PhD Prep panels, and discounted 20-hour short courses (though you will need to pay a fee for those). Check out all the access details in the downloadable PDF at the bottom of this post.
So: what are we watching on CARMA in 2026?
New in 2026: So much AI support!
CARMA’s 2026 additions are very much focused on how researchers can use generative AI to streamline a huge variety of research processes. Here are some videos that might be useful to you:
- Using LLMs to Generate Materials, Individualize Participant Experiences, and Role-Play in Studies with University of Minnesota psychologist Dr Richard N. Landers. This video (with a social science lens) gives a pragmatic look at how to build the power of LLMs into research design in a way that prioritises and preserves the quality of the research.
- LLMs as Research Tools with University of Pennsylvania management researcher Dr Natalie A. Carlson. This video discusses using LLMs as “bounded micro-deciders” (under human academic oversight) so that the conclusions of the research remain stable even if the outputs of the LLM are not exactly reproducible.
- Using Agentic Coding Tools with University of Michigan Assistant Professor of Strategy, Dr Justin Frake.This video looks at how to use agentic coding (in this case, Claude Code) to get better, more tailored, and more contextualised results than you might from a chatbot.
- Many more available from the CARMA Video Library
As always, please ensure that any use of AI in your research is done in agreement with your supervisors, in compliance with your ethical approval, and in line with AUT’s Guidelines for the Ethical Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Research (available here).
Highlights from the PhD Prep Panel
- How to Critically Write, Read, and Review the Methods Section – if you are preparing to write your methodology chapter, this video could be helpful for clarifying how to explain your choices and their implications. It does come from a social science perspective, so bear that in mind.
- Connecting Research Ideas to Methodological Choices – a great discussion about how to carefully think through your data analysis methods to ensure that they are appropriate to your research questions
- Tools for Open Science – this video focuses on ways to make your research accessible and transparent (if this is appropriate to your project), including introductions to the different tools & platforms available.
- Practical Realities of Running Experiments and How They Shape Your Methods – a candid look at how fieldwork constraints can influence research design, featuring real stories from researchers. Stay tuned until around the 26 minute mark to hear from Dr. Dorothy Carter, whose research involved sealing human participants in a capsule for 45 days to simulate space missions – a process that allows, as she puts it, “no do-overs”!
There are loads more great resources to explore, so please do have a click around the full CARMA library.
Find your CARMA User Account once logged in via AUT’s institutional membership – see access details below.
