When scholarship is working right, publication of research results produces inquiry by other scholars, which in turn produces more research.
Is this kind of like the peer review, that scientist have to go through when publishing some kind of research or discovery?
To solve problems, researchers may employ a range of methods. Each discipline has its own methods for making or vetting knowledge claims.
I loved Joe Moxley's example in the "Research Methods" article. Comparing a doctor's methods to a fortune teller's method was comical and made a great visual and made the topic easy to understand.