I am new too. I started off crap but found my groove recently. I mostly play team deathmatch.
I find that running around the map COD style is a quick way to get killed. When I started slowing down, sneaking and staying in cover, I did a lot better and finished top three some of the time.
Try slowing down, aiming at the head as much as possible and avoiding the center of maps and wide open spaces.
I also try to flank as much as I can, as a head on rush to the enemy will usually result in meeting two or three of them and getting slaughtered quickly and a head-on confrontation usually results in me getting killed in one shot even after I have emptied the clip on them at close range (this is a bug that needs fixing, although I noticed the same in black ops a lot too).
Observe before collecting dog tags. I have been killed a few times because I rushed for one without checking the immediate area. It's very tempting to go collect your prize.
One of the most difficult things for me though is how fast everyone is and how they keep jumping everywhere. It makes it hard to get a good bead on them to pull the trigger.
I think it's a case of practice and improve. Loving it though, lots of fun even if I do get slaughtered for much of the round, so the odd kill here and there is pretty satisfying LOL.