I have searched, but I'm unable to understand: please help a beginner.
1) Scenario - 10 people (random sample) are asked 6 questions. The 6 questions are divided into 2 categories (i.e. 3 long words category questions and 3 short words category questions) which are the independent variable to test whether there is a difference between the long words category performance and the short words category questions (based on the word length effect on memory span for working memory). So the 10 subjects have individual scores based on long word performance and short word performance (all derived from being asked one questionnaire). I further go on and calculate the means for all the subjects: for example, the long word mean is 1.3 and the short word mean is 2.3. The standard deviations of the groups will also be calculated.
2) Question 1. To test if the two means from the same group with results based on different question categories of a single questionnaire administered in full to an individual, can I use t-test to establish if the means differ statistically (all material I have found talks about two different samples {normally as independent samples}, or a single sample but having undergone two separate tests {one before intervention then another after intervention, but the sample being referred to as dependent}? So I am not too sure about applying a t-test when the means are derived from one questionnaire and administered once to one group.
3) Question 2 - if I am to use a t test, should it be of independent or dependent?