The series spans Cynthia Macdonald’s career as a writing teacher at Sarah Lawrence College, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Houston. Items include departmental memos and other school-related business; class materials such as handouts on poetry; her biography/curriculum vitae (filed by Macdonald with her teaching materials, instead of with the Writing Career series); some student writings (filed here by Macdonald, instead of with the Writings by Others series); faculty evaluations by students; notes to and from other faculty members; and faculty awards.

The series was arranged in accordance with minimal processing standards to expedite its availability to researchers. Some folders have retained Cynthia Macdonald’s original labels and organization, while others have not.