Here's what makes a preliminary bibliography important:
* It helps you understand the breadth and depth of existing research on your topic. By reviewing existing literature, you can identify key concepts, major debates, and potential gaps in knowledge that your research could address.
* It helps you develop your research questions. As you explore the literature, you'll start to refine your research question, making it more specific and focused.
* It helps you identify potential sources for your research. This will save you time and effort when you actually start writing your research paper, as you'll already have a good starting point for your research.
Here are some characteristics of a preliminary bibliography:
* It is not exhaustive. It's a starting point, so it doesn't need to include every single source on your topic.
* It is likely to change as you do more research. As you learn more about your topic, you may need to add or remove sources from your bibliography.
* It includes a variety of sources. It should include books, articles, websites, and other relevant materials.
* It is organized in a way that makes sense to you. You might organize it alphabetically, by topic, or by source type.
In short, a preliminary bibliography is a valuable tool for any researcher. It helps you to get a better understanding of your topic, develop your research questions, and find relevant sources.