get_study_overview

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

Annotations already declare read-only, idempotent, and open-world behavior, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds real context beyond them: no course IDs are required, results are paginated via nextPage, and the payload is deliberately non-exhaustive. It stops short of describing ordering or freshness of the previews.

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?

Four short sentences, all front-loaded: purpose, then setup (no IDs needed), then continuation mechanics, then a boundary disclaimer. Every sentence carries decision-relevant information with no filler.

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?

With no output schema, the description usefully enumerates what comes back (classes, syllabus excerpts, upcoming/overdue previews) and how to continue paginating. The remaining gap is the undocumented page parameter, which leaves the only input entirely to inference.

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?

The single 'page' parameter has 0% schema description coverage, so the description must compensate. 'Follow nextPage for remaining classes' signals that pagination exists and how to continue, but it never explains what the page input means, its bounds, or how nextPage maps onto 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?

States a specific verb+resource with scope: it returns active classes, syllabus excerpts, and assignment previews in one call. It clearly positions itself as the entry-point overview relative to the focused siblings get_syllabus and list_assignments.

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?

Explicitly says when to use it ('start here for a new schoolwork conversation') and when not to ('this is an overview, not an exhaustive deadline check'), and routes follow-up work to the focused tools for syllabi, rubrics, and all assignments.

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