During the 1970's the increase in the proportion of faculty teaching part-time has been dramatic. The percentage of part-time faculty has risen from 40% in 1971 to 56% in 1977. The rationale for hiring part-time rather than full-time faculty is based on the premises that substantial sums of money can be saved and curriculum scheduling and flexibility can be increased. In order to determine whether the instructional practices of part-time instructors are similar to those teaching full-time, comparisons were drawn based on data obtained in three nation-wide surveys. Part-time instructors were found to have less teaching experience, to have taught fewer years at their current institutions, and to hold lower academic credentials. The adjunct faculty also had less input into the selection of materials used in their course, assigned fewer pages to read, used less instructional media, recommended or required fewer out-of-class activities, and placed less emphasis on written assignments in determining student grades. Part-time instructors were also less aware of campus activities and less likely to use or have access to instructional support services. In terms of professional development, they read fewer scholarly journals, were less likely to hold membership in professional associations or attend professional meetings, and were less likely to request release time; however, they were more likely to express a need for interaction with colleagues and administrators. (MB)