These two words, 参考【さんこう】 and 参照【さんしょう】, seem to be very similar in meaning, and I'm not sure of the difference. They do seem in my experience to be used a bit differently, however. For example:

• 参照する seems more common than 参考する
• But 参考にする seems more common than 参照にする
• And 参考になる more common than 参照になる
• And the keigo form ご参照ください seems more common then ご参考ください

Do the meanings of these words differ significantly? Or is it just a differentiation in usage?

By extension, when talking about my own intentions to consider something (e.g. something like 「○○を参照するつもりです」 or 「○○を参考にするつもりです」), which of these is preferred?

These two words, 参考【さんこう】 and 参照【さんしょう】, seem to be very similar in meaning, and I'm not sure of the difference. They do seem in my experience to be used a bit differently, however. For example:

• 参照する seems more common than 参考する
• But 参考にする seems more common than 参照にする
• And 参考になる more common than 参照になる
• And the keigo form ご参照ください seems more common than ご参考ください

Do the meanings of these words differ significantly? Or is it just a differentiation in usage?

By extension, when talking about my own intentions to consider something (e.g. something like 「○○を参照するつもりです」 or 「○○を参考にするつもりです」), which of these is preferred?