Pattern Q- starting a granny square

[jennybean]

Anybody know what the last part of this means?

Rnd 1 (RS): Ch 4, (dc, ch 1) 7 times in ring, join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch – 8 ch-1 sp.

Here's the next step, in case it helps:
Rnd 2: Ch 3, 2 dc in beg ch-1 sp, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 3, * 3 dc in each of next 2 ch-1 sp, ch 3, rep from
* around, join with sl st in top of beg ch – 4 corner ch-3 sp.

Matter of fact, I'm not sure about the end of that one either.

I get that the sp. is space, and ch-1 sp. probably means the ... ... ... 
Are they just telling me what I'm meant to have at this point?

It's the start of a granny square (from a Lion Brand pattern--not free, otherwise I'd attach the link!). I've never done a granny square.

It's the first step, so any help is much appreciated so I can get going! This does not bode well for the project ...   

[serialdeviant]

I think it's the result, i.e. the number of groups of stitches and chain spaces you should have at the end of the round. In a granny square, 3dc (or ch3 and 2dc) + ch2 + 3dc = 1 corner made.

[jennybean]

brilliant, thanks!

[Tangerine_Dreams]

It basically means, that once you've finished the row and joined it, that's a total of stitches or groups of stitches (such as the ch spaces)

So for the first one, once you have joined the row you should have a total of eight chain-1 spaces on your row. 

The second one means that you will have four corners made of Chain 3 spaces. 

It's usually just a way to know if you've added or dropped some stitches.