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SMABoundless

semantic-scholar-mcp-server

by SMABoundless

paper_citations

Retrieve papers that cite a given paper, with influential citation annotations and citation context snippets.

Instructions

Get papers that cite a given paper (forward citations / 'cited by'). Shows which papers reference this work, with influential citation annotations and citation context snippets.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
limitNoNumber of results to return (1-100, default: 10)
fieldsNoComma-separated fields to return, overriding defaults. Paper fields: paperId, title, abstract, authors, year, citationCount, referenceCount, influentialCitationCount, isOpenAccess, openAccessPdf, fieldsOfStudy, externalIds, url, venue, publicationVenue, publicationTypes, publicationDate, journal, citations, references. Author fields: authorId, name, affiliations, homepage, paperCount, citationCount, hIndex.
offsetNoOffset for pagination (default: 0)
paper_idYesPaper identifier. Accepts: bare S2 Paper ID (40-char hash), DOI:10.xxxx/xxxx, ARXIV:xxxx.xxxx, PMID:nnnnn, PMCID:PMCnnnnn, MAG:nnnnn, ACL:xxx, CorpusId:nnnnn
response_formatNoOutput format: 'markdown' for human-readable text (default), 'json' for raw structured datamarkdown
Behavior3/5

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

No annotations provided, so description carries full burden. Mentions 'influential citation annotations and citation context snippets' which adds value. However, does not disclose rate limits, auth needs, or behavior on invalid inputs. Adequate but not comprehensive.

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?

Two sentences, front-loaded with key action, no unnecessary words. Efficient and clear.

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

Completeness2/5

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

No output schema provided. Description mentions what is returned (influential citations, context snippets) but lacks details on output structure, pagination, or total count. Incomplete for a tool without an output schema.

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 baseline is 3. Description adds no extra meaning beyond the schema's detailed parameter descriptions.

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?

Clearly states the verb 'Get' and the resource 'papers that cite a given paper'. Explicitly distinguishes from siblings by using terms 'forward citations / cited by' and contrasts with paper_references.

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?

Implicitly distinguishes from paper_references via 'forward citations', but does not provide explicit when-to-use or when-not-to-use guidance. No mention of alternatives or exclusions.

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

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