Get Course Stats

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

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, openWorld behavior, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds a genuine access caveat — instructors may hide the Statistics page from students — but does not say whether that yields an error, empty data, or a permission denial, so the behavioral disclosure is incomplete.

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 short, front-loaded sentences with no wasted words. The caveat is placed after the core purpose, which is appropriate. Brevity is good, though it comes partly at the cost of specificity.

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?

An output schema exists, so return values need not be described. However, for a single-parameter tool with zero parameter documentation and an ambiguous access caveat, the description should say more about the identifier and the failure mode when the page is hidden.

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?

There is one required parameter ('course') with 0% schema description coverage, and the description does nothing to clarify it — no indication of whether it is an ID, short name, or display name. The description's reference to 'the course Statistics page' does not explain identifier format.

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 clear verb+resource: fetch data for a course's Statistics page. An agent can distinguish it from get_course_info or list_courses. However, 'the data' is vague about what statistics are actually returned, leaving the specifics unclear.

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?

No guidance on when to use this versus any sibling tool, nor any prerequisites. The note that instructors may hide the page hints at when a call might be futile, but it is framed as a caveat rather than usage routing.

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