The books you used in high school were ALL primary sources? Either you went to a VERY unusual high school, or you have a different definition of primary source than the one I know, since the vast majority of books are secondary sources (for most purposes), and the vast majority of primary sources are not books.
Of course, I just updated my understanding of the distinction between primary and secondary sources by checking....Wikipedia:-).
Primary sources are original materials on which other research is based
They are usually the first formal appearance of results in the print or electronic literature (for example, the first publication of the results of scientific investigations is a primary source.)
They present information in its original form, neither interpreted nor condensed nor evaluated by other writers.
They are from the time period (for example, something written close to when what it is recording happened is likely to be a primary source.)
Primary sources present original thinking, report on discoveries, or share new information.
Some examples of primary sources:
scientific journal articles reporting experimental research results
proceedings of Meetings, Conferences and Symposia.
technical reports
dissertations or theses (may also be secondary)
patents
sets of data, such as census statistics
works of literature (such as poems and fiction)
diaries
autobiographies
interviews, surveys and fieldwork
letters and correspondence
speeches
newspaper articles (may also be secondary)
government documents
photographs and works of art
original documents (such as birth certificate or trial transcripts)
Internet communications on email, listservs, and newsgroups
Slashdot Mirror
Of course, I just updated my understanding of the distinction between primary and secondary sources by checking....Wikipedia :-).
(Of course, Wikipedia DOES direct you to James Cook University's summary at http://www.library.jcu.edu.au/LibraryGuides/primsrcs.shtml :
Some examples of primary sources:
- scientific journal articles reporting experimental research results
- proceedings of Meetings, Conferences and Symposia.
- technical reports
- dissertations or theses (may also be secondary)
- patents
- sets of data, such as census statistics
- works of literature (such as poems and fiction)
- diaries
- autobiographies
- interviews, surveys and fieldwork
- letters and correspondence
- speeches
- newspaper articles (may also be secondary)
- government documents
- photographs and works of art
- original documents (such as birth certificate or trial transcripts)
- Internet communications on email, listservs, and newsgroups
)