Fetch Chicago Tribune top stories from its public homepage, returning current headlines as structured JSON for news monitoring and aggregation.
Get Chicago Tribune top stories. Returns the current Chicago Tribune top stories from the public homepage.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No arguments | |||
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v1.17.5Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden. It does disclose that this is a read-style operation on a public homepage and that the results are current, which is useful context. However, it does not mention return format, pagination, rate limits, or any failure-related behavior.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
Two short sentences front-load the verb and resource with no filler or repeated schema content. Every sentence adds relevant information.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
For a simple no-argument fetch tool, this is adequate, but since there is no output schema, the description does not clarify the structure of the returned top stories (e.g., list vs. object, fields available). It also leaves some selection ambiguity relative to the similarly named headlines sibling.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
The tool has zero parameters and an empty input schema, so there is no parameter ambiguity for the description to resolve. The description is consistent with the schema in implying no required inputs.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description clearly states a specific verb ('Get') and resource ('Chicago Tribune top stories'), and adds the source detail 'public homepage.' It does not explicitly differentiate from the sibling tool chicagotribune_headlines, which could plausibly return overlapping content.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
No guidance is given about when to choose this tool over siblings such as chicagotribune_headlines, chicagotribune_article, chicagotribune_author, or chicagotribune_sections. The 'current' and 'public homepage' phrasing implies a snapshot/news use case, but no exclusions or alternatives are stated.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.