scan_news

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

No annotations provided, but description discloses key behavior: fetches RSS feeds, adds to news_briefs, deduplicates by URL for safe re-runs. Does not cover rate limits or failure handling, but sufficient given the tool's simplicity.

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 concise sentences with critical information front-loaded. No wasted words; every sentence adds value.

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 low complexity, output schema presence, and 100% schema coverage, description covers main behavior. Could mention return format but output schema likely handles that. Minor gap: no mention of error handling for feed failures.

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?

Input schema has 0 parameters, so description correctly omits parameter details. Baseline of 4 applies as no param info needed.

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?

Description clearly states the tool fetches RSS feeds and adds items to news_briefs, listing specific sources (WHO, CDC, PLOS, Anthropic). This distinguishes it from sibling scanning tools like scan_literature or scan_pubmed_alerts.

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?

Implies usage for aggregating news from these sources but does not explicitly state when to use vs alternatives or when not to. The deduplication note hints at idempotent usage but lacks exclusions.

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