metaculus_questions

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

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden. It discloses that data is from public pages, and that the endpoint fails on authenticated responses or Cloudflare challenges. However, it lacks details on rate limits, pagination behavior, or what 'normalized' entails, leaving gaps in transparency.

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?

The description is two sentences, front-loading the core purpose and adding a valuable behavioral note. Every word serves a purpose, with no redundancy or fluff.

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?

Given the tool's moderate complexity and lack of output schema, the description covers data source, failure modes, and basic functionality. However, it omits pagination details (e.g., how to get next page) and the meaning of 'normalized,' which are useful for an agent. Still, it is fairly complete for a simple list endpoint.

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?

Schema description coverage is 100% for both parameters (limit and topic), so baseline is 3. The description adds no additional meaning beyond what the schema already provides (e.g., limit's default/max, topic's slug format).

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 it returns 'normalized Metaculus question rows' from public data, distinguishing it from sibling tools like metaculus_question (singular) which likely fetches a single question. The verb 'returns' and resource 'Metaculus questions' are specific and unambiguous.

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?

The description mentions it uses 'credential-free public page data' and 'fails closed on authenticated API responses,' implying it is for public-only access. However, it does not explicitly guide when to choose this tool over alternatives like metaculus_category_questions or metaculus_project_questions, nor does it provide exclusions.

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