Get a publication by PGP ID

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

Annotations already cover the safety profile (readOnlyHint, openWorldHint), so the bar is lower. The description earns credit by enumerating the returned payload — title, journal, DOI, PubMed ID, authors, dates, and PGS IDs split into development vs evaluation — which matters because no output schema exists.

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?

A single sentence with zero waste; the identifier and example come first, followed by the return content. Nothing is repeated or padded.

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 single-record read with no output schema, the description supplies the return-value shape and the ID format, and the schema fully documents the projection parameters. A note on how it relates to search_publications would close the remaining gap.

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 coverage is 100%, and the schema describes full, fields, and pgp_id in detail, so the baseline of 3 applies. The description's only parameter-adjacent content is the PGP format example, which duplicates the schema's own description.

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?

States a specific verb and resource ('Retrieve one PGS Catalog publication'), the exact identifier format ('PGP ID (e.g. PGP000001)'), and the payload contents. The word 'one' plus the ID-based lookup implicitly distinguishes it from search_publications in the sibling set.

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?

Usage is implied by 'by PGP ID' — an agent deduces this is the direct-lookup path and search_publications is the discovery path. However, no explicit when-to-use statement or named alternative appears, and there is no guidance on when the 'full'/'fields' escape hatches are worth using.

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