CODE EXAMPLE FOR JAVASCRIPT

js get option value

<select id="ddlViewBy">
  <option value="1">test1</option>
  <option value="2" selected="selected">test2</option>
  <option value="3">test3</option>
</select>

var e = document.getElementById("ddlViewBy");
var strUser = e.value;
//Would make strUser be 2.

var e = document.getElementById("ddlViewBy");
var strUser = e.options[e.selectedIndex].text;
//Would make strUser be test2.