How long do the judges have to rate the speech and paper?

The judges have a total of 5 minutes to rate the speech and paper. This timeframe is set to ensure that judges have ample opportunity to thoroughly assess both the presentation and the written content. Having a standardized duration like this helps maintain consistency across evaluations and allows judges to apply their criteria fairly and uniformly. It also gives them enough time to consider various aspects such as clarity, organization, persuasive techniques, and overall impact of the speech and accompanying paper. This structure is crucial in competitive environments, such as HOSA events, where every detail contributes to a participant's overall score. Other durations listed are not sufficient to allow judges to provide a comprehensive evaluation.