(and generally everyone I have worked with at school so far)
The context is a group project you have to do for school?
The reason I am checking is that these often turn into one person desperately trying to get the others to do something and ending up doing it all themselves. You’re not really talking about “people” so much as “students who half-arse it until a few hours before the deadline”.
What is it you’re trying to get them to do? Why do they need to read the stuff you’re sending them?
particularly documentation for tools and programs, data sheets, and application notes.
No one reads this stuff unless they absolutely have to. What is the purpose of asking them to read it?