Phở Research Tools

Format citations

format_citations

Read-onlyIdempotent

Format references in a citation style (APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago author-date, Harvard, Vancouver, IEEE, AMA) or export them as BibTeX, RIS or CSL-JSON. By default every reference is first verified against Crossref, PubMed and OpenAlex, and verified references are formatted from the database record, so wrong years, pages or author names in the input are corrected. References that could not be verified are formatted exactly as written and flagged in entries[].warnings. Returns the bibliography and, for text and html output, the matching in-text citation for each reference.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`style`	No	Citation style: apa (APA 7), mla (MLA 9), chicago (Chicago author-date), harvard (Harvard), vancouver (Vancouver), ieee (IEEE), ama (AMA). Ignored for bibtex/ris/csl-json output.	apa
`output`	No	text (plain bibliography), html, bibtex, ris or csl-json.	text
`verify`	No	Verify each reference before formatting (recommended). When false, references are formatted exactly as given, without corrections.
`references`	Yes	References in any form: a pasted list in any style, BibTeX, RIS, CSL-JSON, or DOIs one per line.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`quota`	No
`style`	Yes
`output`	Yes
`content`	Yes
`entries`	Yes
`warnings`	Yes
`style_title`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed1 schema field changedOct 19, 2026
- addedOutput schema / properties / quota / properties / hint
```
Added value: +{
+  "enum": [
+    "low",
+    "intro"
+  ],
+  "type": "string"
+}
```
Changed1 schema field changedOct 19, 2026
- addedOutput schema / properties / quota / properties / upgrade
```
Added value: +{
+  "type": "string"
+}
```
Changed1 schema field changedOct 19, 2026
- changedOutput schema / properties / quota / properties / plan / enum
```
Previous value: -[
-  "anon",
-  "free"
-]New value: +[
+  "anon",
+  "free",
+  "pro"
+]
```

Changed1 schema field changedOct 6, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / verify / description

Previous value: -"Verify each reference before formatting (recommended). Set false only for references already verified in this conversation; they are then formatted exactly as given."New value: +"Verify each reference before formatting (recommended). When false, references are formatted exactly as given, without corrections."

First observedOct 6, 2026

TDQS

A4.3/5.0

Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations only cover the safety profile (readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive, open-world). The description goes well beyond: it discloses that references are verified against Crossref, PubMed and OpenAlex, that verified entries are re-formatted from the database record (correcting wrong years/pages/authors), and that unverified entries are flagged in entries[].warnings. That is exactly the correction/network behavior an agent needs and cannot get from annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three tight sentences front-loaded with the verb and supported styles, then behavior, then return format. No filler; every clause carries information.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Although a mutation of nothing and with an output schema present, the description still supplies the critical behavioral context (verification, correction, warning flagging) plus the return-shape hint for in-text citations. Nothing needed to call it correctly is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the enum values and the verify flag are already documented in the schema, and the description largely restates them. It adds only marginal meaning (e.g., that verification drives corrections), so baseline 3 is appropriate.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb+resource (format references) and enumerates the exact styles and export formats, so the agent knows precisely what comes out. It is clearly distinct from siblings like verify_references or search_papers, which handle retrieval/validation rather than formatting.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description implies context (it verifies by default and explains what the verify flag does), but it never states when to prefer this tool over a sibling such as verify_references, nor when to turn verification off beyond the boolean's own description. Usage is inferred rather than guided.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All Phở Research Tools tools Inspect

Try in Browser

One endpoint for every MCP toolRayrun runs every MCP server behind one URL and holds the credentials. Each call is decided per client, tool, and argument, then recorded.ray.runAd

Glama MCP Gateway

Add one secure layer between your agents and this server.