Rhetorical appeals and explicit claims
| % sites | |
|---|---|
| Rhetorical appeal | |
| Evidence of authority and scientific rigour | |
| Quasi official | 27 |
| “Scientific” references | 75 |
| Claim to present both sides | 33 |
| Actually present both sides | 15 |
| Links to proimmunisation groups | 31 |
| Emotive appeals | |
| Us and them | 99 |
| Responsible parenting | 67 |
| Horror stories | 39 |
| Back to nature | 41 |
| Evidence of conspiracy, search for truth | |
| Cover up | 88 |
| Excavation of the facts | 98 |
| Free and informed choice | 86 |
| Support of rebel doctors | 56 |
| Foolish doctors | 87 |
| Unholy alliance for profit | 62 |
| Towards totalitarianism | 79 |
| Explicit claims | |
| Diseases are trivial | 38 |
| Poisons | 79 |
| Vaccines harmful | 99 |
| Vaccines ineffective | 83 |
| Vaccines kill | 63 |
| Erode immune system | 54 |
| Natural lifestyle gives immunity | 39 |
| Alternative health superior | 45 |
| Infectious diseases declined for other reasons | 57 |
| Diseases caused | |
| Idiopathic ills (various) | 93 |
| Sudden infant death syndrome | 63 |
| Autism | 56 |
| Brain damage | 71 |
| AIDS | 39 |
| Cancer | 58 |
| Diabetes | 40 |
| Multiple sclerosis | 34 |