Research on the ECA generally assume that members of a given epistemic community share common causal and normative beliefs, as well as a notion of validity and a common policy enterprise.

• 由于特定政策之知识社群的共同因果信念、规范性信仰、效度观念及共同政策志业不是先验的，故研究者不应预设知识社群成员具有某些共同特徵，并据此来解释其政策影响力。