The records relate primarily to McDonald's professional teaching, writing and research work and, to a much lesser extent, are records about his personal life. The course teaching materials include outlines and syllabi, lecture notes, class handouts, newspaper clippings, website printouts, and other materials used to develop course content. Records relating to McDonald's writing include typescript drafts, off-prints, handwritten notes, conference papers, and correspondence. The most extensive records relate to McDonald's research. They include newspaper clippings and other published items, copies of articles annotated by McDonald's, handwritten index cards with notes and citations, correspondence, and audio recordings of interviews, music and speeches. Finally, records related to awards and recognition received include curriculum vitae, certificates, correspondence and McDonald's Killam Teaching Award from 2000.

Fonds consists almost entirely of materials created or acquired by Gordon Elliott throughout his life and career and includes:
• The manuscripts for his historical writing.
• Research materials.
• Personal correspondence.
• University notes and lectures.
• Newspaper clippings.
• Public lectures.
• An audio recording.

The fonds consists of correspondence (1940-1984), articles and addresses by Soward (1926-1969), book reviews (1950-1965), collected articles and book reviews by others, and a collection of newspaper and magazine clippings. Also included are copies of a weekly column entitled "The Way of the World" that Soward wrote for the Vancouver Morning Star (1927-1929).