@westcoastbestcoast thank you! This is really helpful. I only submitted on January 10, so it wasn't too long ago, but I'll at least start putting together a Why X letter/essay (I chose a different optional essay to submit with my application).
In your essay, are you talking about the content of the paper(s) or just mentioning that the topics interest you? If the former, then yes, footnotes; if latter, then just naming the author and possibly the title or article topic is fine.
Also FWIW I don't think it's misplaced. Where else would it go? I think this essay or addition to the app is just that - a place to elaborate how you spent your time that would not make sense to put in a resume.
This happened to me as well. I recently got rejected from a school where my numbers were median. But I was able to get into a school where my lsat was at the 25 percentile. My best guess is that my Why X essay was particularly compelling.
I did my top 10 ways to spend a Saturday. It was pretty lighthearted, but also a chance to show my non-academic interests! Easily my favorite optional essay (honorable mention goes to Stanford-music to play while reviewing app)
... .amazon.com/Writing-College-Application-Essay-Anniversary/dp/0062123998) but honestly ... to write that kind of essay for a scholarship, fellowship, ... that what makes a good essay for an applications is what ... makes a good essay period. It also has a ...
Agree hand writing can be good or just type it out freestyle. I got this advice wrote 14 typed pages single spaced and found my PS/DS and PI essay amongst the pages.
... your entire being into your essay, get everybody/anybody to read ... from UCLA and added this essay to every school: Programmatic Contribution ... essay. This mainly applies to people ...