the research = ?

Calling into question = inquiring?


Context:

Publish or perish

China needs to elaborate on plans to modernize its flagging academic journals.


Scientific publishing in China is in a quandary. Many articles in the country;s 5,000-plus science and technology journals go unread and uncited, calling into question the value of the research. It also raises doubts over the effectiveness of China’s scientific publishing -- which, after all, is to disseminate details of research
for others around the world to build on. One Chinese scientist has referred to the majority of China’s publications as “pollution.”