What is the best way to get to know the experts and most active scholars in a certain field

of research?

My take on this question is as below and stand to be corrected:

A scholarly publication is one in which the content is written by experts in a particular field of
study - generally for the purpose of sharing original research or analyzing others' findings.
Scholarly work will thoroughly cite all source materials used and is usually subject to "peer
review" prior to publication. This means that independent experts in the field review, or "referee"
the publication to check the accuracy and validity of its claims. The primary audience for this
sort of work is fellow experts and students studying the field. As a result the content is typically
much more sophisticated and advanced than articles found in general magazines, or
professional/trade journals.

In brief, scholarly work is:

 written by experts for experts
 based on original research or intellectual inquiry
 provides citations for all sources used
 is usually peer reviewed prior to publication

To see the typical components of a scholarly journal article check out the Anatomy of a
Scholarly ArticleLinks to an external site. from North Carolina State University Libraries.

Be Careful!

Some publications have many characteristics of a scholarly work but are not peer-reviewed.
These can be valuable sources for your research but he extent to which a particular work would
benefit  from formal scrutiny is not always clear. For example: 

 Government documents
o A vast array of publications are produced by government bodies. Some of these
will not peer-reviewed but are produced by subject experts and have most of the
characteristics of a scholarly publication. You will have to assess each
government publication you wish to use to ensure that it is appropriate source
material for your purposes.
 Conference proceedings
o Compilations of papers presented at conferences are sometimes the base material
for future refereed publications and have already been peer-reviewed. You will
need to check the status of any material you find in a collection of conference
proceedings to ensure that it is suitable for your research.
 Theses & Dissertations
o While subject to rigorous review, theses and dissertations are not universally
considered to have been peer-reviewed. Check with your instructor to determine if
these are acceptable sources for your research.
 Books from academic/university presses
 o If a book's editorial board is not comprised of subject experts it cannot be
considered peer-reviewed, yet it may still be a very useful source. Ask yourself: is
the author an expert in the field? Does the book have all the other criteria of a
scholarly publication besides being peer-reviewed? If yes to both - the book will
likely be a useful addition to your collection of (mostly refereed) research
sources.

READING POPULAR AND SCHOLARLY PERIODICALS

When you search for periodicals, be sure to distinguish among different types. Mass market
publications, such as newspapers and popular magazines, differ from scholarly publications in
their accessibility, audience, and purpose.

Newspapers and magazines are written for a broader audience than scholarly journals. Their
content is usually quite accessible and easy to read. Trade magazines that target readers within a
particular industry may presume the reader has background knowledge, but these publications
are still reader friendly for a broader audience. Their purpose is to inform and, often, to entertain
or persuade readers as well.

Scholarly or academic journals are written for a much smaller and more expert audience. The
creators of these publications assume that most of their readers are already familiar with the main
topic of the journal. The target audience is also highly educated. Informing is the primary
purpose of a scholarly journal. While a journal article may advance an agenda or advocate a
position, the content will still be presented in an objective style and formal tone (which is why
you have been asked to find an academic journal article). Entertaining readers with breezy
comments and splashy graphics are not a priority with this type of source.

Because of these differences, scholarly journals are more challenging to read. That does not
mean you should avoid them. On the contrary, they can provide in-depth information that is
unavailable elsewhere. Because knowledgeable professionals carefully review the content before
publication, scholarly journals are far more reliable than much of the information available in
popular media. Seek out academic journals along with other resources. Just be prepared to spend
a little more time processing the information