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

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It describes what content is fetched and how parameter combinations affect results, but lacks details on permissions, rate limits, pagination, or error handling. The description is adequate for basic use but misses advanced behavioral context.

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 efficiently structured with three sentences: one stating the purpose, one providing usage guidelines, and one explaining parameter semantics. Each sentence adds clear value without redundancy, making it easy to parse and understand quickly.

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 (3 parameters, no output schema, no annotations), the description covers purpose, usage, and parameter effects adequately. However, it lacks details on return format, error cases, or authentication requirements, leaving gaps for an agent to fully understand the tool's behavior in all contexts.

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%, so the schema already documents all parameters thoroughly. The description adds marginal value by explaining how parameter combinations affect the scope of returned content (e.g., 'Provide just courseId to list all forums'), but doesn't provide additional syntax or format details beyond what the schema offers.

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 the tool's purpose with specific verbs ('fetch discussion board content') and resources ('forums, topics, and posts'), distinguishing it from siblings like get_announcements or get_assignments. It explicitly identifies the scope of content returned, making the purpose 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 provides explicit guidance on when to use this tool ('when the user asks about discussion boards, forum posts, class discussions, or wants to see what's been posted'), including specific parameter combinations (courseId alone, with forumId, or with both forumId and topicId). It clearly differentiates usage scenarios without mentioning alternatives, which is appropriate given the tool's unique focus.

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