list_assignments

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered structurally. The description adds only that due dates are surfaced in the result, which the existing output schema likely covers already; no volume, pagination, or permission context is given.

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 11-word sentence with the resource and scope front-loaded and zero filler. 'with due dates' is the only optional clause and it earns its place by hinting at returned fields.

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 1 required param, full schema coverage, annotations, and an output schema, the description does enough to call the tool correctly. The remaining gap is routing: nothing tells the agent how this relates to get_assignment_detail or get_course_contents when both could answer an assignment question.

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 there is a single required parameter, so the schema already carries the semantics. The description's 'one or more courses' usefully confirms that course_ids is a multi-value array rather than a single id, but adds nothing on format or limits.

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 ("List assignments") and scopes it to one or more courses with due dates. An agent can distinguish it from get_assignment_detail and submit_assignment by the plural/list framing, though no sibling 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?

Usage is only implied: 'list across one or more courses' suggests bulk retrieval rather than a single-assignment fetch. There is no explicit when-to-use / when-not-to-use guidance nor a pointer to get_assignment_detail for a single assignment, which matters in a 50+ sibling surface.

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