“Scholars collectively develop expectations about what counts as good research.”

this means scholars establish a yardstick.

A discipline develops standards such as:

What counts as adequate evidence?

What methods are considered appropriate?

What constitutes a convincing argument?

What counts as a reliable source?

What level of evidence is required?

For example, a quantitative economics journal may expect:

statistical models;

measurable variables;

appropriate datasets;

statistical testing.

A historical journal may place much greater emphasis on:

archival sources;

primary documents;

contextual interpretation;

historiographical analysis.

So “good research” is judged partly according to disciplinary standards.