Government agencies and professional organizations have attempted to improve education research by creating common standards for judging research quality. However, the absence of agreement regarding research quality has limited the effectiveness of this approach. This article argues that, rather than focusing on standards, policy makers should leverage the market-like behaviors of those engaged in education research by influencing the incentives that drive them. Drawing on political philosophy and social theory, I argue that governments should focus less on standards and protocols and more on reforming the processes by which research capital is distributed.