learnus_list_announcements

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint, idempotentHint, openWorldHint and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered. The description still adds behavioral value beyond the annotations: results are normalized summaries, returned newest-first, and are intentionally not full bodies. It stops short of any pagination or rate-limit detail, so not a 5.

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?

Three sentences, no filler, and the ordering/scope constraint is front-loaded before the usage and exclusion guidance. Every sentence carries information the agent needs.

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 two-parameter read-only list tool with no output schema, the description covers scope, ordering, return granularity (summaries, not bodies) and the routing alternative. It could say slightly more about what fields a summary contains, but nothing needed for correct invocation is missing.

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 both parameters (limit default 10/max 50, courseId pattern) are already documented. The description only restates the optional single-course filter ('optionally in one known course') and implies newest-first ordering from limit, adding little beyond the schema. Baseline 3 is appropriate.

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 (Lists), resource (normalized LearnUs ubboard announcement summaries), and scope/ordering (newest dated items first). The sibling it must not be confused with, learnus_get_announcement, is named explicitly.

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?

Gives a positive trigger ('recent course notices or announcements, optionally in one known course') and an explicit exclusion ('Do not use it for a full announcement body') with the correct alternative tool and the condition (known module/article IDs) that selects it.

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