Using the options[index].value Property
<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Color Changer 2</TITLE> <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"> function seeColor(form) { var newColor = (form.colorsList.options[form.colorsList.selectedIndex].value); document.bgColor = newColor; } </SCRIPT> </HEAD> <BODY> <FORM> <P>Choose a background color: <SELECT NAME="colorsList"> <OPTION SELECTED VALUE="cornflowerblue">Cornflower Blue <OPTION VALUE="darksalmon">A <OPTION VALUE="lightgoldenrodyellow">B <OPTION VALUE="seagreen">C </SELECT></P> <P><INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="Change It" onClick="seeColor(this.form)"></P> </FORM> </BODY> </HTML>