Independent-Samples T-Test
The independent-samples t-test is used to determine if a difference exists between the means of two independent groups on a continuous dependent variable. More specifically, it will let you determine whether the difference between these two groups is statistically significant. This test is also known by a number of different names, including the independent t-test, independent-measures t-test, between-subjects t-test, unpaired t-test, and Student’s t-test.
For example, you could use the independent-samples t-test to determine whether (mean) salaries, measured in US dollars, differed between males and females (i.e., your dependent variable would be “salary” and your independent variable would be “gender”, which has two groups: “males” and “females”). You could also use an independent-samples t-test to determine whether (mean) reaction time, measured in milliseconds, differed in under 21-year-olds versus those 21 years old and over (i.e., your dependent variable would be “reaction time” and your independent variable would be “age group”, split into two groups: “under 21-year-olds” and “21 years old and over”).
Assumptions
In order to run an independent-samples t-test, there are six assumptions that need to be considered. The first three assumptions relate to your choice of study design and the measurements you […]