ABSTRACT
Interpretational qualitative analysis is not mechanistic, as you will know if you have read the chapter on the various types of qualitative analysis. How, then, can we talk about the ‘mechanics’ of qualitative analysis? The answer has to do with a difference in meaning between the words mechanic and mechanistic. The word ‘mechanistic’ means ‘mechanically determined’, whereas ‘mechanic’ is defined as ‘of or relating to hand work or manual skill’ (Webster’s, 1964, p. 1400/01). Every researcher who has conducted a qualitative analysis project will tell you how s/he became involved in a lot of ‘hand work’. Indeed, to some it may seem that there was more handiwork than anything else.
