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semantic-scholar-mcp

semantic-scholar-mcp

by ckgerteis
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
Python
Remote

s2_search_authors

Read-onlyIdempotent

Search Semantic Scholar author records by name to retrieve affiliations, paper counts, citation counts, and h-index values, with pagination for paging through results.

Instructions

Search for authors by name. Returns the unified envelope; each item is an author record (record_type author) with affiliations, paper count, citation count and h-index in extra.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "params": "<params>"
    },
    "name": "s2_search_authors"
  }
}

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
paramsYes

Output Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
resultYes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changedv2.2.0
    • addedInput schema / $defs / AuthorSearchInput / properties / query / maxLength
      Added value: +2000
  2. First observedv1.1.0

TDQS

A3.8/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive and openWorld, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds real value beyond that by describing the unified envelope and what each item contains (affiliations, paper count, citation count, h-index in extra), which is not in the annotations.

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 short sentences with no filler; the core action comes first and the return-value detail second.

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

Completeness4/5

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

An output schema exists, so the description need not define the envelope in full, yet it still sketches the item shape usefully. The only real gap is that pagination/filtering behavior is never mentioned, which the description could have flagged.

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?

The description says nothing about query syntax, matching behavior, or limit/offset usage. The nested schema does carry descriptions for query, limit and offset, but coverage is reported as 0% at the top level (only a bare 'params' object), so the description should have compensated and does not.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ('Search for authors by name') and even names the returned record type. It implicitly separates itself from s2_get_author (ID lookup) by saying 'by name', but never names the sibling explicitly.

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?

The phrase 'by name' hints that this is the discovery path versus s2_get_author's direct lookup, but no explicit when-to-use/when-not-to-use guidance or alternative is given. Usage must be inferred from the sibling list.

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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