How do you know which is the RS or WS? When just starting a project I’m not sure I know the difference. Any suggestions?
RS or WS
If you are doing stockinette (alternating knit one row, purl one row) most people consider the smooth side with the V’s to be the right side. There are patterns that use the bumpy side as the front though.
If you are doing garter stitch (knit every row) then both sides are the same.
(One of the most helpful things you can learn is to learn what the stitches look like. It makes life so much easier when knitting. There’s a lot less row counting and you can see where you are in a the pattern a lot easier. 
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Very often, though not 100% of the time, the first row is your right side. The pattern should tell which row is a RS/WS row, and from that point you know if the odd rows are right or wrong.
Once the pattern starts to develop, you’ll be able to tell by looking at it.