Retrieve attendance register sessions for a course, including date, duration, taken status, and marked student count. Provides session IDs needed to mark attendance.
The sessions of every attendance register in a course: date, duration, whether the register has been taken, and how many students were marked. The sessionid is what mark_attendance expects.
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| courseid | Yes | Course id from my_courses |
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v0.4.0Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
No annotations are provided, so the description must disclose behavior. It reveals the output fields (date, duration, taken, student count) and that sessionid is used by mark_attendance, but does not explicitly state that this is a read-only operation, nor does it mention permission requirements, rate limits, or response structure. The description is informative but not comprehensive on behavioral traits.
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 short sentences with no filler. The first sentence front-loads the core purpose and output fields, the second connects to a sibling tool. Every sentence earns its place.
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 tool with one input parameter and no output schema, the description provides the essential return fields and the cross-tool relationship to mark_attendance. However, it does not specify the response shape (e.g., array of objects), pagination, or edge cases, which leaves minor gaps for a full understanding.
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 schema already provides full description for courseid ('Course id from my_courses'), so the parameter is well-documented. The tool description adds no additional input semantics beyond the schema; it only references sessionid, which is an output field, not an input parameter. With 100% coverage, a baseline of 3 is appropriate.
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 identifies the tool as providing attendance session records (date, duration, taken status, student count) for a course. It distinguishes the tool from siblings like mark_attendance by noting that the sessionid is what mark_attendance expects. The resource and scope are specific, though it lacks an explicit verb like 'lists' or 'gets'.
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 implies the tool is used to retrieve session IDs for use with mark_attendance, giving a concrete usage context. However, it does not explicitly state when to use this tool over alternatives like attendance_report or late_registers, nor does it provide when-not-to-use instructions.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.