How to Write the NBHS3104 Nursing Research Proposal: What Markers Want

Short answer: a strong NBHS3104 proposal starts with a title you can realistically study, then builds a clear chain from problem to objectives to design, sample size and instrument. Markers reward a proposal where every chapter agrees with the others, not one with the most ambitious topic.

The NBHS3104 Research Methodology assignment at Open University Malaysia (OUM) asks nursing students to prepare a research proposal on a topic relevant to nursing practice. It sits in the September 2026 semester, and Part I is a proposal of 2,500 to 3,000 words excluding references. Part II is a separate online forum task on reliability and validity, which this guide does not cover.

If you are still choosing a title or stuck on structure, our nursing assignment helper page explains how we support nursing students.

What the brief really asks

The brief lists a proposal with front matter, three chapters and appendices. Chapter 1 covers the background, problem, questions, objectives, hypotheses, significance and definitions. Chapter 2 reviews literature and sets a theoretical or conceptual framework. Chapter 3 explains design, setting, sampling, instruments, data collection, ethics, validity and reliability, a pilot study, and analysis in SPSS.

Appendices are expected to include a permission letter, consent form, a sample instrument and a Gantt chart. Language quality and APA 7th referencing are marked too. You can read the full brief on the NBHS3104 question page, and see a short worked extract in our worked sample, for reference only.

Step 1: choose a feasible title

A good title names a population, a setting and one or two variables. “Knowledge and practice of hand hygiene among nurses in a tertiary referral hospital” works because nurses can be reached, the variables can be measured, and a validated tool already exists. A title like “Improving patient safety in Malaysia” fails because it is too wide to measure.

Ask three questions before you commit. Can you reach the population? Is there an existing instrument? Can you finish data analysis with the tools you have? If any answer is no, narrow the title.

Step-by-step approach, chapter by chapter

1. Write the problem statement first. Use two or three recent studies to show a gap, then say why the gap matters in your setting.
2. Draft the objectives before the methods. Each objective should map to one research question and one statistical test.
3. Select a framework that matches your variables. A knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) model suits studies of what nurses know and do.
4. Review literature by theme. Group studies by knowledge, practice and influencing factors instead of listing them one by one.
5. Justify every methodology choice. Say why cross-sectional, why that sampling method and why that instrument, citing a methods textbook such as Polit and Beck (2021).
6. Close the loop in analysis. Name the SPSS test for each objective, and state your ethics steps clearly.

For students writing a longer research document later in the programme, our thesis helper page shows how proposal work leads into a full study.

Choosing a design, sample and instrument

How to work out sample size

Most NBHS3104 proposals use a standard formula. For an unknown proportion, use 95% confidence (z = 1.96), a 5% margin of error and p = 0.5. That gives about 384 for a very large population. A finite population reduces it. For example, with an illustrative population of 1,200 nurses, the corrected figure is about 292, and the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) table gives 291.

Always add a margin for non-response and say so. Never copy a sample size from another proposal without recalculating it for your own population.

How to choose and justify an instrument

For hand hygiene, the World Health Organization (2009) guidelines are the foundation, and recent Saudi studies show how the WHO questionnaire has been adapted. Al-Qahtani (2023), for instance, reported a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.81 for a questionnaire based on a WHO expert-group tool. Citing a study like this lets you justify both choice and reliability.

Plan a pilot with a small group outside your main sample, calculate reliability again, and describe how experts will review content validity.

Writing the literature review and framework

Chapter 2 is where many proposals lose marks, because students list studies one after another. Instead, build short themed paragraphs. One can cover what nurses know about the WHO five moments, another can cover reported practice, and a third can cover factors linked to better scores, such as training and experience.

Finish the chapter by naming the framework and showing how it links to your objectives. A simple diagram with knowledge on one side and practice on the other, plus background factors, is often enough. Say clearly which variables the study will measure and which it will not.

Use recent peer-reviewed studies from similar settings where you can, and keep the WHO guidelines as your anchor for definitions. Check that every study you mention appears in the reference list with a full APA 7 entry.

Mark-maximising checklist

• Title, contents page and lists of tables and figures are present.
• Every objective has a matching question, hypothesis and statistical test.
• The framework is drawn or described and linked to your variables.
• Sample size shows the formula, the inputs and the result.
• Inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed clearly.
• Ethics covers approval, consent, privacy and the right to withdraw.
• The Gantt chart shows realistic stages.
• References follow APA 7th edition and every citation appears in the list.

Common mistakes

• Choosing a topic that needs a large population you cannot reach.
• Writing objectives that cannot be tested with the chosen instrument.
• Copying a sample size from a published paper.
• Listing statistical tests without linking them to objectives.
• Describing ethics in one sentence.
• Using old or weak sources for the literature review.

What students worry about most

Many students say they are unsure whether they may use a hospital in another country, or how to get permission for an existing questionnaire. Others fear the sample size calculation or do not know how to show reliability before collecting any data.

For a proposal, you only need to plan these steps, not complete them. Explain what permission you would request, how the pilot would work and what reliability value you would treat as acceptable.

Students also ask whether it is acceptable to name a real hospital. Unless your course allows it, a generic description such as “a tertiary referral hospital” avoids implying that the institution has agreed to take part. You can read student feedback on our reviews page.

If you would rather have your outline checked by someone who has supported nursing students before, see our OUM assignment help service.

FAQs

How long should each chapter be?

With a limit of 2,500 to 3,000 words, a balanced split is a shorter Chapter 1, a similar length Chapter 2, and a slightly longer Chapter 3. Check your marking rubric, and give more space to the parts with the most marks.

Can I choose any nursing topic?

The brief allows a topic of your interest relevant to nursing practice, but it must be researchable within the scope of a proposal. A narrow, measurable topic is safer than a broad one.

Do I need hypotheses?

The brief lists hypotheses under Chapter 1, so include them for objectives that test a relationship or difference. Descriptive objectives do not need one.

Which sampling method is best?

Random methods reduce bias and are easier to defend. Convenience sampling is common but its weakness should be acknowledged, as researchers often do in published studies.

How do I show reliability and validity?

Plan expert review for content validity and a pilot study for reliability, usually reported with Cronbach’s alpha. Describe the steps and the value you would accept.

What goes in the appendices?

The brief lists a permission letter, a consent form, a sample of the instrument and a Gantt chart. Keep each one short and consistent with the methodology chapter.

About the expert

Nursing writing support on this site comes from experts such as Ayesha N. Her profile lists an MSc in Nursing & Clinical Education from Taylor’s University and specialisms in care plan writing, Gibbs reflection and patient-centred assessments. It states that she has supported over 600 Malaysian nursing students.

References

Al-Qahtani, A. M. (2023). Clean hands, safe care: How knowledge, attitude, and practice impact hand hygiene among nurses in Najran, Saudi Arabia. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, Article 1158678. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1158678

Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30, 607–610.

Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2021). Nursing research: Generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice (11th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

World Health Organization. (2009). WHO guidelines on hand hygiene in health care. WHO Press.