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DATA CENTER ALLY / COURSE 05

Understanding Evidence

Find original sources and identify misleading statistics.

4 lessons · About 10–15 minutes

Your progress stays in this browser. Pass each lesson’s check to complete the course. Completion is introductory learning, not professional certification.

LESSON 01 / 04

Find the original record

A news story or social post can point you toward a useful source.

Follow the link to the original study, permit, dataset, or agreement.

Check the author, publication date, methods, and corrections.

Keep the exact claim beside the evidence so that a general finding is not mistaken for a local conclusion.

Check your understanding

What should you do with a quoted study?

FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE

Course source library

Original research and public resources for further reading. Local permits, utility agreements, and current job requirements provide the details for your situation.

Berkeley Lab - 2024 U.S. Data Center Energy Usage Report and methodseta-publications.lbl.gov (opens in a new tab)USGS — Water use in the United Statesusgs.gov (opens in a new tab)Virginia JLARC — Data Centers in Virginia (2024)jlarc.virginia.gov (opens in a new tab)

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