get_member_courses

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

With no annotations, the description discloses key behavioral traits: merging upcoming and past courses, ordering by enrolled date ascending, and authentication. It does not cover rate limits or error handling, but adds value beyond the parameter schema.

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 sentences, no fluff. Information is front-loaded and every word 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?

The description covers core behavior and member identification, but lacks return value description (e.g., fields returned) or pagination info. With no output schema and 7 parameters, more detail on filters and behavior would improve completeness.

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%, so parameters are documented. The description adds useful context for the 'member' parameter (accepts slug, path, or URL). Other parameters have no additional info, but the baseline is 3 and this extra detail raises it.

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 'Get a member's courses' and specifies the merging behavior and ordering. It distinguishes from siblings like get_course (single course) and get_my_courses (own courses) by noting it works for any member.

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 explains when to use this tool ('Mirrors get_my_courses for any member') and mentions authentication requirement. However, it doesn't provide explicit when-not or compare with other siblings like search_courses.

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