[texhax] detailed documentation and examples of bib styles?

[Terrence E. Murphy]

folks, 

I'm asking this only because I've spent several hours reading manuals
and experimenting with downloaded files and maybe one of you has some
experience in this area.

For two publications I'm working on with my advisor, there are
bibliographic styles required other than the Chicago style required in the
GT theses.

I see in "The Latex Companion" several other styles, such as "acm"
that
come close to what I need. But when I download the style and package files
and use them when compiling, I find that acm automatically causes double
columns which mess up my presentation. 

Two questions:

1. Any detailed documentation on all the options within the Chicago style?
2. Any detailed documentation on how to successfully
compile with the many other styles referenced in The Latex Companion?
3. Any detailed documentation on tailoring an existing bib style to create
a custom version?

wrt to the latter question I need a detailed example to follow since I am
a Latex novice and the cryptic instruction in Latex Companion doesn't get
me there. 

thanks, 

Terrence E. Murphy
Georgia Institute of Technology
School of Industrial and Systems Engineering

E-mail address:   tmurphy at isye.gatech.edu