1) Do not spend all your EP at once. Keep some in the bank.
2) Do not re-spec if you are struggling. Ask for advice first. You may be fighting the wrong rats.
3) Use the map to plot a route to your mission. Keep the radar open as well.
4) Double click a npc in the "overview" to lock it and set as primary. Double click a can to move into range of it (G key grabs all).
5) Put some EP into "basic parallel assignments" - pick up 2 or 3 missions to the same area all at once.
6) Do some courier missions for ammo. Or farm some racial npc for it.
7) Farming plasma makes good NIC when you are starting out.
8) Your cans live for 10 minutes. They are lootable by others after 5.
9) As in Eve look at the "overview" to see when you are primaried (red boxed). Kite & rep when necessary.
10) As in Eve you can spec into multiple races and weapon types. Re-spec'ing into another race is not necessary.

thanks for pointing me in the right direction guys.... i was shooting rats with stars like mad thinking they're some kind of premium rats...now i know